


Daddy 'Dashi

by LuxAve



Category: Big Hero 6
Genre: Baby!Hiro, Because we need more Single Parent Tadashi, Daddy Tadashi, He's cute as a damned button!, Single Parent Tadashi, There's a few OCs but they're not in this too much
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-04-19 11:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 30,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4745021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuxAve/pseuds/LuxAve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>People make decisions, some good, and some bad; some which are bad at first but turn out good. A girl and a boy made a decision after prom. Responsibilities are owned up for, and another decision is made. How hard could being a single parent in college be? Adopted from Adazula on fanfition.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1.

**Author's Note:**

> Alrighty, I adopted this story from the lovely Adazula on FanFiciton. I hope I do you proud :)
> 
> These first few chapters are Adazula's original chapters, I've gone through and edited it a little bit so it's in past tense, I can't write present tense worth a damn, and I've added just a few little tweeks.
> 
> The other original chapters should be up in the next few days.

"Tadashi!" Aunt Cass shouted as soon her nephew walked through the garage-turned-work room door from his last day of high school. She jumped out of the desk chair she had been sitting into greet the young adult before her.

"Aunt Cass! What's up? Did something happen?" Tadashi said looking at his frantic Aunt. She held out a letter to him. Not just any letter; the anticipated letter from The San Fransokyo Institute of Technology; the school stamp seemed to radiate from the corner of the envelope.

"My letter came." He muttered to himself, breathless. He shakily grabbing the letter from his aunt and stared at it. He didn’t know what it was going to say; it could make him or break him. He only applied a few weeks ago, showed the school board and judges at the showcase what he was capable of, and he had been waiting, on pins and needles, for the determination of his entry or denial from the school of his dreams.

"Well don't just stand there! Open it!" She demanded. She knows how much it would mean to her nephew to get in and attend, and she prayed that the school had seen what Tadashi could be and do.

Tadashi tenderly opened the letter and gaped at the clear letters that printed on this letter.

"What does it say?" Cass asked, practically bouncing where she stood.

"Tadashi Hamada." He read the exact words printed in plain black and white, his heart beating in his chest as he cold read it aloud. "It is with great honor to announce to you that you have been accepted into The San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. Due to your grade point average and outstanding recommendations, we also would like to offer you a complete scholarship to our institution."

"That's my nephew!" Cass whooped as she pulled her nephew into the tightest hug she could manage, squeezing him to the point where he couldn’t breathe. "I am so proud of you!" She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.  “Oh so very proud!”

"I didn't think I was going to get in. Let alone a full ride." He smiled through the unbelievable shock as he kept re-reading the paper.

"They see you as great addition to their academic community honey. They must want you this bad to give this wonderful opportunity. Oh! Look at my new college man!" Cass squeezed the cheek she just kissed.

Tadashi had indeed been working hard for several years to get into the institute. He wanted to make his parents proud of him. Ever since they passed away, when he was nine, he wanted to live up to his fullest potential. Now it has finally happening. This was the best thing that ever occurred to him.

"Alright!” Cass took a step back from him, a look of deep pride still on her face. “I'm going to whip up some hot wings for dinner tonight to celebrate.” She declared right before his cell phone started ringing.

"Sounds great, Aunt Cass.” He gave her a smile before he reached to pull his phone out. “Sorry.” He apologized to his aunt before he answered. “Hello?”

"Hey Tadashi." A very familiar voice greeted him, a voice he hadn’t been expecting to hear from.

"Vivienne?" Tadashi asked, clearly shocked to hear from her. No one ever really expects a call from their ex, especially if it were out of the blue.

Vivienne and Tadashi dated for about a year before they broke up a month ago. He found out that she was cheating on him and asked her about it, she confessed. Long, dramatic story short, they hadn’t spoken nor seen each other since that night.

"I know we're not exactly on the best of terms, but I need to talk to you about something. It’s important. Can you meet me at the nearby park like right now? At the bench we used to sit at. It can't wait." She asked, sounding sincere with a hint of desperation on her voice.

Tadashi hesitated for a moment. "Uh, alright I'll be there in about ten minutes." He told her before he hung up.

"Why is your ex girlfriend calling you?" Cass asked concerned.

He shrugged, putting the congratulatory acceptance letter back in its little envelope and setting it on his work desk. "I don’t know. She wants to talk about something. I'll be right back. Look forward to the dinner." He gave his aunt a small smile before walking out of the garage.

It didn’t take Tadashi very long to hop on a tram and end up at the park and find the bench she had mentioned.

She was Japanese American like him and has very messy chocolate brown hair that constantly swallowed her face up. It didn't help that she was on the petite side making her appear younger and more innocent than she really was.

"Tadashi! I didn't know if you would actually show up after what's happened." She muttered when she saw him.

"Unlike you, I keep my promises and tell the truth." He bit out harshly before shaking his head. "Sorry. That was going too far." He sat down next her.

"No, no. I deserved it for hurting you." She waved off his small apology.

"If this about trying to get back together, don’t even bother. We have to just plain move on with our lives." He leaned back against the bench and looked at her from the side of his brown eyes.

She shook her head. "No it's not; it's not at all like that. But we can't just move on though." She sighed.

Tadashi raised a brow and turned to face her more. “What does that mean?”

"Remember the night of prom. How we... You know... Did it for the first time?" She said.

"Yeah, pretty stupid on both our parts. We should've waited." Tadashi said. He doesn't want to talk about that night. They both got way ahead of themselves and did it in the back of a car. At the time Tadashi didn't think he was going to be in this position with Vivienne. He had loved her.

She took a deep breath and said what was on her mind, "Tadashi. I'm pregnant." She told him quickly, trying not to lose her courage to tell him.

"You're what?" Tadashi jumped up from the bench and stood in front of her.

"I am." She shrugged her shoulders, looking away from him.

"With my baby?" He began pacing the length of the bench. “Are you sure?”

"Yes I am. You're the father. You're the only one I had sex with." She mumbled, watching as he disappeared from in front of her vision as he paced.

"How can you so calm when you're pregnant with my baby!" Tadashi questioned still trying to at least grasp the news she had just dropped to him.

"First off, I am not calm, I found out a few days ago so I’ve had time to actually wrap my mind around it." She finally met his eyes.

"Why did you wait to tell me?” He yelled, mostly from feeling angry about not knowing but also because this was news that he honestly wasn’t ready for. How could she have not told him the minute she found out?

"It was finals week! I didn't want you to freak out at the worst possible time!" She said finally shouting back.

Then he got suddenly angry at something else. "You told me you were on birth control!" He said.

"And you were wearing a condom, but I still got pregnant Tadashi! You're just as responsible for this baby as much as me. Hate to break to you, but it takes two to tango!" She said.

He clenched his fists together for a moment as he took a breath. "Alright. We just finished high school. We could get half decent jobs, and an apartment. I just found out that I have a full ride to my college, so I can get an education and be able to support us even more. We can make this work."

"Tadashi. I know you think that’s the best thing, but it's not going to work like that." She stated, standing up match him.

"I know we're not on the best of terms, but we have to do it for the baby." He ran a hand down his face as he thought more.

"That's not the problem. The problem's me. I don't want to be a mother." She confessed, breaking his line of concentration.

Tadashi blinked at her, trying to get _that_ into his head now, add that to the equation. "People change their minds all the time. Once you see this baby, you'll want to be his or her mother."

 

But Vivienne shook her head. "Tadashi, need I remind you that my sister and a couple of her friends are teen moms? I practically was babysitting their kids while they went partying and drugging themselves. I don't want to raise a baby this young; especially with the kind of family that I'm from. I don't want be like my sister. I don't want to worry about diapers or food or if they get injured. I'm not the mothering type." She waved her hands around trying to emphasize her words to him.

Tadashi put his head in his hands. He made mistakes before in his life, everyone had, but nothing to this extent. This particular mistake was life changing, life _depending_. He had fifteen amazing minutes to believe that things were finally getting on track for him, but now his plans just got completely derailed.

"Tadashi, I know this the last thing you want to hear, but I'm planning to give the baby up for adoption.” Vivienne mumbled to him. “I'm willing to give you full custody without contest. But that means you're on your own. I'm sorry, but I can't do this to the baby or myself. I'll give you ‘til the end of my pregnancy to make up your mind, but if you don't answer by then I'll assume you flaked and go through with the adoption." She said quietly and turned to walk away.

“V!” Tadashi called after her.

She didn’t turn around, but he knew she heard him when he saw her shake her head.

He stood there stock-still for a good minute or so, until he couldn’t see her anymore before he sat back on the bench.

That wasn’t how his day was supposed to go. At all.

 


	2. 2.

"Hey my college man. Wings are almost ready.” His aunt greeted him when he walked through the door. “What did Vivienne have to say? I hope you two aren’t getting back together." Cass said as she was getting plates out.

"No, nothing like that." Tadashi mumbled as he took the plates from his aunt, insisting that he set the table. If he was going to be telling her some pretty big, life changing news, he might as well suck up while she doesn’t know.

"Then what was it about?" She asked. “If you don’t mind me prying.”

Tadashi finished setting the table before he turned toward his aunt, his loving, gracious aunt who took him in when he didn’t have anywhere or anyone else to go to, his aunt who had taught him not to do anything stupid, or something he’d regret. He sighed. "She's pregnant." He looked down to the floor and held his breath.

Everything fell silent for a moment.

Tadashi jumped a mile high when a cabinet door was closed harder than necessary.

"You did what?" Cass harshly scolded at her nephew. "What were you thinking? Did you ever stop to think about the consequences? Apparently not!" She went on and on about Tadashi not thinking through before doing that.  

"Aunt Cass, I am so sorry." Tadashi tried to cut in, in between her angry rambling.

"Tadashi, I thought you were smarter than this. I thought you wouldn't dare put yourself in this position." She said bitterly as she immediately started stress eating a donut even though dinner was about to be done cooking. "That girl has been nothing but trouble from start!”

"Cass don't you blame it _all_ on Vivienne. We were _both_ pretty stupid that night." Tadashi snapped, his arms crossing over his chest.

Cass leaned against the counter and shook her head. "Sorry doesn't cut it Tadashi. What you and Vivienne did is beyond the point of apology."

“I know Cass." Tadashi mumbled, a scowl on his face.

"This is a life were talking about. Do you realize this changes everything?" She shot a pointed look at him as she pulled the pan out of the oven so it didn’t burn.

"You think I don't know that!" Tadashi finally yelled back at his aunt. “Believe it or not, I’m not stupid. I had a momentary lapse in judgment, yes. But I do know the consequences of this!”

His yelling immediately quieted his aunt down for a moment. "What are you and Vivienne going to do about this?" She asked in a slightly more gentle voice.

His shoulder sagged a bit as he let out a breath. "Vivienne said she doesn't want to be a mom. She's thinking about giving the baby up for adoption."

"I think that's for the best." Cass gave a one shouldered shrug, as if saying she knew everything in the world.

Tadashi’s look shot up to his aunt across the kitchen. "But she also said if I want the baby, she'll give me full custody. But I'm on my own with no help from her. I think I do want to be there for my child." He quietly told her.

"Tadashi you can't raise a child let alone on your own! You're eighteen years old and just starting college! You're too young to raise a baby." His aunt bleakly stated.

"You raised me when you're were in your early twenties." He argued back.

"I was twenty- _five_ and already had a successful business; you were _nine_ and could take care of yourself. There's a _major_ difference in between situations. What about college? Do you really want to throw everything you've worked for away?" Cass pointed out, waving a spatula around in the air, dripping hot sauce all over the floor.

Tadashi opened his mouth to throw out another argument, but he realized he has nothing more to argue on. Cass is right. He's too young and should be worrying about going to school. Not raising a child.

But he also wants to be a part of his child’s life. No matter what Cass thought or said or could say. Raising a child is just as rewarding of an experience as going to college.

He shook his head and grabbed his jacket. "I'm going out." He stated before walking back through the door he came through only a handful of moments before.

He hopped on his moped and drove off away from the café to clear his head and think. He usually liked to take long scenic drives when he needed a moment to himself. He especially needed to drive around after everything that had happened. And everything was just in the span of two hours!

He drove across the Koi Gate Bridge and turned off on an exit to a little beach where he and Vivienne used to hang out at to talk about their lives, well mostly Vivienne's life problems. It was also where they went after Prom that night. The place held a lot of memories.

He got off his moped and took off his shoes. He always liked feeling the sand beneath his feet. He started walking around the shore, watching as the sun was setting. He remembered how he also used to come here as a kid before his parents died and they all would play in the sand for hours and hours, and his mom would pack a picnic on the beach. Those were the good days.

 _What am I going to do?_ Tadashi thought to himself as he sat on the sand, letting the little waves tickle his feet. He never felt so alone and lost and confused in his life. _Is this how Vivienne is feeling right now?_ He looked up at the fading pink sky and leaned back into the sand.

He thouhgt back to when he was eight years old and his dad and him went fishing. Tadashi didn't know how to fish yet, but his dad wanted to find a father and son activity that didn't drive his mother crazy.

_They both laughed every time they had an unsuccessful attempt at remotely catching a fish._

_“Dad. I don't think fishing is going to be our activity." A young Tadashi told his father._

_"Trust me son. It will." The older Hamada male smile, determined as he yanked on the fishing pole._

_“Dad, can't we just stick to building robots? It's so much more fun."_

_"Son I want you to learn that there is more to your life than just robots. Yes building robots are amazing, but fishing teaches us a lot of things." His father told him._

_“Like what?" The young Tadashi asked, trying to give his fishing pole a tug to pull the line a little closer to him._

_“My father took me fishing with him plenty of times. He taught me that fishing is a lot like life. You may have a plan to do something with yourself, but plans don't work out the way we intended. Like right now we expect to bring home fish for your mother, but so far we're not successful aren't we?" He started laughing, it didn’t take Tadashi long to join in._

_"Anyway." His father continued. "When you get something unexpected in your life, it all depends how you decide to look at it. For me I wanted to study medicine, but that never happened."_

_"Why didn't it?" The eight year old asked curiously._

_"Well for many reasons. Mainly it just didn't work out the way I wanted it to be. But I think looking back on it; it's no more than a simple wish that isn't needed. I'm satisfied with my life and I want you to be satisfied with yours. It may not turn out the way you planned it, but what's life without a few bumps in the road?"_

_Then Tadashi feels a tug on his fishing pole. "Dad!" He yelped as he started yanking on the pole. His dad grabbed a hold of his son's fishing pole and they both started pulling it toward them._

_Then a huge salmon was pulled out of the water. Tadashi stepped back as he struggled with handling the fish._

_Finally the fish went limp and his dad held it in the air. The head of the Hamada household let out a heavy breath before he chuckled, "Now_ that _is a fish."_

_Tadashi started laughing as his dad dramatically collapsed on the beach in exhaustion after putting the fish in the cooler nearby._

"Oh Dad. I wish you can tell me how to navigate these bumps." Tadashi whispered as he closed his eyes to revel in the quiet and calming sounds of the waves.

 

 


	3. 3.

 

Today was Tadashi's first day of at The San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. Luckily it was only the orientation and meetings with his professors.

It also is the day he and Vivienne are going to find out the baby's gender at the ultrasound. He promised her that he was going to be there right after the orientation. He was not going to miss that for the world.

It’d been three months since he found out about the pregnancy and Cass was still acting a little hostile and aloof towards him. She had calmed down a bit after he told her he still intended to go to college, but she was still sensitive whenever he brought up the pregnancy. He had a feeling it might be best to do what she expected him to do and give the baby up for adoption. He was still on the fence about that.

He stood nervously in the audience as the dean of the school addressed his welcoming speech to the new class before everyone split to meet the professors of their programs.

Tadashi knew he was definitely going into the robotics program along with basic medical school in the possible future. He wanted to engineer a robot that can care its patients at home and in professional facilities. He just didn’t know how he'd be able to do that at the moment. So far he had managed to make a prototype that got him into the school in the first place, but that’s as far as he thought it through.

He was just about to head towards his final professor when he is bumped into a tall girl on stilettos and fell flat on his face.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to knock you down!" She said as she helped him up. She was a tall girl with blonde hair in a bun and brown eyes behind glasses. She wore a yellow dress over white skinny jeans.

"No, that's ok." He said kindly brushing the dust off his grey cardigan that he was wearing.

"I'm Aiko! Going into chemistry! " She introduces herself excitedly as she kissed his cheeks holding out her hand to him.

He chuckled at the different greeting. "Tadashi. Robotics engineering" He shook her hand as he blushed from the kisses awkwardly.

"That's so cool!" She giddily said. " My roommate is also going into engineering! Her name's Leiko. You two should totally meet up." She practically squealed, a large smile on her face.

"Uhhhhh... appreciate the offer but I'm not planning on dating anyone for a while." He said in a nervous manner.

"Lot of stuff on your mind?" She suddenly dropped the smile in favor of an understanding look.

"You could say that." He shrugged. He didn’t want to have explain to anyone about his current situation.

"Excuse me?" A muscular dark skin guy asked them. "Do you know where Professor Conners is?" He checked the name on the schedule in his hands.

"Oh! I have him for Chemistry. I can take you with me to meet up with him." Aiko chirped. " What's you're name?"

"Darius." He responded with a small smile.

"I'm Aiko. This is Tadashi." She introduced the two of them to Darius.

"At least I'm having a conversation with people that aren't in a suit. There's this one guy by the door wearing a dinosaur costume named Fred trying to give a nickname to everyone he sees." Darius gave an awkward laugh.

"What so bad about having a nickname." Aiko asked.

" He nicknamed me Wasabi because there's wasabi on my shirt!" He huffed, outraged, as he showed the stain on his shirt.

"To be quite honest, it actually fits you." Tadashi chuckled and he honestly liked the nickname better than Darius.

"Thanks." The now nicknamed Wasabi grumbled in slight annoyance.

"I got to go meet my last professor. It was nice meeting you guys." Tadashi waved as he left the duo.

"It was nice meeting you Tadashi!" Aiko called after him as he left.

He walked to the back of the showcase building ‘til he found the head of the robotics department at his stand, Professor Callaghan.

"Here for the robotics program?" Callaghan greeted kindly.

"Yes I am. My name's Tadashi Hamada." He introduced, holding out his hand to his new professor.

"I know you.” Callaghan smiled and shook the bright young man’s hand. “You're the one that impressed me with your medical bot prototype at the showcase audition. You're also the only one who won the full scholarship." Callaghan smiled.

"Yes and thank so much for giving me this opportunity." Tadashi told him, a grateful look on his face.

The professor gave a small nod. "I trust that you will use this opportunity to the fullest extent.

Tadashi nodded confidently. “I will.”

The older male smiled. "That's what I want to hear. I look forward to seeing in my class." Callaghan nodded approvingly.

After a bit more talking to his professor about the engineering class, Tadashi left Callaghan now feeling more determined to make something of himself.

But at the same time he felt like he had other priorities.

An hour later he found himself sitting with Vivienne at the hospital as the lights in the ultrasound room dimmed. The only light that's showing is a TV screen.

The ultrasound technician runs the flashlight like device across Vivienne's now swollen belly. The screen changes as it shows an outline of a little person inside.

"There's your baby." The technician said with a small smile. Vivienne almost violently turned away from the screen, but Tadashi kept staring at it, not wanting to even blink. The baby moves its hand around looking like it's waving at the people watching him.

"Wow." Tadashi mumbles to himself. Never in his life had he seen something this amazing.

"The baby's head is little on large side. Looks like your kid might be a thinker." The technician said as he chuckles.

"Just like it's father." Vivienne said in quiet, monotonous voice, still not looking at the screen.

"Well then do you guys want to know the sex of the baby?" The technician asked the ex-couple. Vivienne looked over to Tadashi to answer the question.

"Uh, sure." Tadashi shrugged with a curious look on his face.

"You guys are having a baby boy." The technician announced, pointing to the screen so the two could see. "I'll print some pictures out and have the DVD disc burn so you guys can watch it later." He informed them as he took the device away from Vivienne's stomach and turned off the screen.

The technician left the two soon-to-be parents alone. They hadn’t really spoken to each other since she announced she was pregnant, there was a tense and awkward aura to the air around them. The only time Vivienne had communicated to Tadashi since that day was when she texted him the appointment for the ultrasound.

"How's it going?" Tadashi asked quietly.

Vivienne huffed. "My mom kicked me out. I'm now living with my sister and my niece." She said as she pulls her baggy shirt down.

"I'm so sorry. How do you feel?" Tadashi said.

"Surprisingly good. I didn't get morning sickness during my first trimester. Though this kid sure likes to kick up a storm." She shrugged.

"Seems like he has patient issues." He smiles softly at her. He kind of wished she’d let him be a part of what she’s going through. Even though he wasn’t quite sure what he was going to do yet, he wanted to be there for her. The baby, the boy, is half Tadashi’s genes and the young adult would love to feel the little boy kick or something. But he stayed quiet about it.

"Look Tadashi, I still haven't changed my mind. In fact, I'm getting a job in the army after the baby's born" She stated, she knew Tadashi would attempt to change her mind.

"The Army?" Tadashi said in shock. This is the first he's heard of this.

She nodded slowly. "They pay good money and will give me an education. Plus I'll get out of this life I was born into. I have a shot at not ending up drugged up and dead on the street. I may seem selfish, but it's best for everyone. Including your son."

"My son?" Tadashi asked. "You mean _our_ son."

"No, _your_ son. I can't get attached. Please don't this to me. If you care about me, at all, you _will_ _not_ talk me out of this. You have multiple shots at a future. I only have one.” She told him before she left without saying goodbye.

The technician came back in dumbfounded that the mother is gone, but gave the DVD and pictures to Tadashi before he left.

Tadashi spent that whole night watching the ultrasound video on his computer; ignoring everything else in the world. Just watching his son wave at him. Over and over again.

 

 


	4. 4.

 

 _Six months down. Three to go._ Tadashi thought as he dragged himself out of bed. He got dressed and headed downstairs to the cafe to grab a quick breakfast. His aunt is currently serving a customer and ignored her nephew as he snagged a donut and a coffee and headed out the door for the day.

Even though his homework was done and he didn’t have class for the next three hours and only a quick five-minute drive to the institute, Tadashi liked having the spare time to either hang out with his friends or work on his nursebot. There was also the added benefit that the school acted as his escape from the hostile treatment he got in his home.

He was stopped at a red light on his way when he noticed something that caught the corner of his eye.

 A baby supply store.

He kept looking at the place until he heard honking from cars behind him; he made the last minute decision to check the place out.

A little bell rang as he entered the little pastel colored store. It was a small place, but filled top to bottom with baby stuff. There are little clothes racks and shelves sat cozily in one corner of the store, toys and other little knick-knacks items in another, necessities were front and center. And near the back were a selection of cribs and mobiles.

Tadashi looked around the place; one part of him felt that he shouldn't be in the store. Another part of him felt he came to the right place.

"Excuse me. Sir?" He heard a voice and turned around to see a short woman with short curly blonde hair. She looked to be around in her late thirties, wearing a navy blue apron over T-shirt and jeans.

"Um, I'm sorry, I-I should go..." Tadashi said as he tried to turn away from her, but she wouldn't let him leave that easily.

"So you must've done something to get you here looking at this stuff by the looks of it. You look too frightened to be shopping for a relative." She smirked.

“I guess my face does say a lot." Tadashi sheepishly said, nervously rubbing his arm.

"Don't worry. I don't judge.” She waved off his embarrassment. “I was around sixteen when a guy promised the jewels of the world and left me alone with no money and a baby. In the end, you could say I'm still alive. So what'd you do to get yourself here." She told her short story in a jokingly way but meant it in all seriousness.

"I got a girl pregnant after prom." Tadashi confessed.

"Ah.. The classic after prom special. Little clique for my taste." She shrugged.

"She's dropping out of the picture. If I want to keep the baby, I'm on my own." Tadashi added on.

"Clique with a twist. Single dad style if you want the baby. Never heard that before." The lady said. “I like it.” She gave a small smile and a laugh as she straighten a few things on the shelf next to her.

"Will you stop acting like this is a joke?" Tadashi asked frustrated. He didn’t need some stranger making fun of a choice he made.

"Listen kid, I have been in the same shoes. I might sound like a jerk to you and maybe a little unorthodox, but I have wisdom no one else can get without experience. I can tell which parent ends up successful or ends up in looney bin." She gave him a look.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding? Right?"

She shook her head. "As serious as a shark attack." She smirked again.

"Alright give me an example." Tadashi said as crossed his arms.

She scoffed quietly. “Oh I'll give you an example. Last week a first time customer comes in with her husband, just simply browsing. Every single time the woman wants to touch an item, she rubs her hands together with sanitizer. That proves how much of a germ freak she is. The man was too busy on cellphone to even care about the purpose of being here. That shows he is obsessed with his work. Now these people, by the looks of their clothes and they way they carried themselves, were pretty well off in terms of money, but have some major issues. A child requires attention; both love and discipline.” The store associate explained. “Their kid is going to be caught in the middle of a mess. The mom will be overly worried about her child over everything and keep this kid spoiled in a bubble with too much sanitizer. The dad will hardly be there as he prefers working and when he is there he expects the child to be well disciplined, but won't be happy since the mom prefers to be child's best friend instead of a parent. That is my proof." She finished.

"You can't just assume people by the first impression." Tadashi stated, rather annoyed.

"Maybe not all the time, but come on. You got to admit that people can be like that and not even know it until it's too late." She commented, turning back to the shelf she was fixing up.

Tadashi opens his mouth and finds nothing to say to that. "How do you know all this stuff?" He finally found words.

She smiled and pointed a stuffed elephant at him. "When you work in a baby store, you learn a lot about people. Sometimes you want nothing more than to remind them to not screw this up because it's not an object. It's a life. Life starts out small but it grows up to become our future. People need to learn to love and guide them to where they need."

"Well you’ve sort of met me. What do you think of me?" Tadashi asked, curious.

"I see someone who's confused and feels stuck in situation they think they can't get out of. You think you know what needs to be done, but you don't think it's the best thing." She honestly told him.

"You said you had a child young. How did the child turn out?" Tadashi asked before he realized he shouldn't have asked. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked if that hurt you."

The woman smiled in response. "She's fine. She's now studying to become a hairdresser. We're in a great relationship despite a few setbacks. But what parent doesn't have setbacks?" She sat the elephant where it was supposed to be. "Listen if you keep this kid, I know the kid will be just fine."

"How?" He looked at her.

"For one, you absent mindedly been fingering your pocket that has your wallet in there.” She moved a few more stuffed toys around. “That usually suggests that you've been keeping your kid's ultrasound picture in there and care about your kid. You would put your child before the world. Also you're here talking to me, if you haven't noticed by now, and I know when a person cares about his kid to be even talking to me." She said as she laughed.

"But my aunt..." Tadashi starts saying she interrupts him

"This _your_ future.” She turned to face him, leaving the shelf to look half organized, half a mess. “ _You_ decide how you handle it. If you feel like your kid is better off without you in the picture then put the kid up for adoption. But if you feel that your child needs you then keep it despite what others think. Don't make a decision because people expect you to. Make a decision because _you_ feel it's right."

Tadashi takes a deep breath and says, "I don't know what's right yet."

"Don't get your boxers in a bunch. You'll know when the time comes. Here." She said as gives him a plastic pinwheel she pulled out of her apron pocket, a pocket that held a few more pinwheels.

He took it from her. "What's this for?" He asked, spinning the colorful wheel with his finger.

"For good luck.” She smiled toward the novelty toy. “No matter how the wind blows, it always comes back around."

"Can you tell me your name?" Tadashi asked, wanting to know who he was talking to, in case he ever came back in here.

"Shop lady's a classic title, but the name's Ginny." She answered. " I don't need to know your name but Prom Daddy number 26 doesn't seem to suit you, so a name is okay, I guess." She joked.

" Tadashi." He told her.

"I hope to see you again one day, Tadashi. Now get out of here. I think you got other things to do." She said as she disappears into the back room.

 

 


	5. 5.

 

Tadashi walked into his chemistry class amazed by everything that lined shelves- all the beakers and test tubes and a few balances sat in a corner. Granted chemistry was a core curriculum class he had to take in order to graduate; but it still excited him by seeing all the tables set up with chemicals ready to be mixed.

"Tadashi!" Aiko waved him over so he could sit next her, Wasabi was sitting on the other side of the empty seat.

"Aiko. Wasabi." Tadashi greeted kindly with a smile as he sat in between the to of them.

"I'm actually called Honey Lemon now, but you can just call me Honey. Fred gave me the nickname on my way here! Isn't that exciting?” She beamed at the thought of having her own nickname.

"I think I need to meet this Fred guy." Tadashi chuckled setting his bag on the floor next to him.

Wasabi gave an exaggerated huff. "Please don't. He might give you a nickname of your own." He warned.

"Either way I still want to meet this guy. He sounds pretty cool." Tadashi said. "What’s he majoring in anyway?"

"He said he doesn't actually go here. But he does work as the mascot, and likes to hang out in the student lab area at the robotics building. Maybe we can meet him during our lunch break." Honey told him as she got her notebook out.

"That sounds great." Tadashi whispered as the professor came in telling the class to quiet down.

After a few minutes of explaining what he had planned for the school year, the teacher jumped right into teaching and giving notes on the first chapter they were covering.

Tadashi was only half listening; not even paying attention to the slide show the professor was showing the class as he looked in his wallet at the ultrasound picture of his son.

 _His son._ His son, his little baby that he had helped create, helped conceive; his son that was oh-so tiny and just starting to grow in Vivienne. His little son who would need him after he was born, would need care and love and help to do everything and for everything.

But Tadashi would need help too, if he chose to keep his son. Someone to watch the baby as he went to school, or work if he decided he’d drop out, someone to teach Tadashi what he needed to do to keep his little baby happy and healthy.

Tadashi sighed quietly to himself as he looked away from the small picture facing up at him to the board his professor had written an entire novel on in the two minutes Tadashi had looked away. He glanced back down to his wallet to make sure the picture was tucked in before he closed the little holder and slipped it back into his back pocket.

Ginny was right. He wants to do the so called 'right thing' but he doesn't feel it's the best thing to do. Each time he looks at the picture, he wished he knew the answer to his situation. One that won't hurt his son and himself along with everyone else.

Tadashi looked back up at the board to see that the professor was erasing part of what was written earlier. Mentally he scolded himself. Chemistry class was no place to be thinking about past and future life decisions.

The period passed quicker than Tadashi had wanted it too, he still had notes he was trying to jot down. He had lunch break after chemistry, and Honey seemed to have taken careful notes, if the colorful pens she used had been any sort of indication, he could always ask her for the notes he was too distracted to get.

He headed over to robotics building and went straight into the student lab along with Wasabi and Honey. When he got there, he looked around, still mesmerized at what he saw. It was the science geek’s paradise, the robotics nerd’s wonderland; tables and desks, each with a student’s name on it, decorated the open floor space, anything the students could possibly need to get them started were already lined up on the shelves in the designated spaces.

 

Tadashi started moving some of his parts in to his lab space; he was given a private lab as part of his scholarship package. _Where have you been all my life?_ Tadashi thought as he walked through the door to his lab. He took in the cleanliness and brightness of the room before noticing the neat pile of textbooks sitting on the desk. He walked over and inspected them and realized they were all the textbooks he needed for the school year.

"Tadashi, come here!" Honey’s voice interrupted his thoughts as she peeked her head into his little lab, she pointed to an area where there was a couple of comfortable chairs and a table that has been piled high with comic books. One of the chairs of the table, was occupied by a young man with blonde hair wearing a very unique looking costume, it was like a lizard or a dinosaur or some weird cross breed of the two.

“Hey Honey Lemon! Hey Wasabi!" The guy in the costume waved to the two students. "And hey person I can nickname!" He waved at Tadashi.

“This is Fred." Wasabi introduced.

"Hi Fred. My name's Tadashi." He introduces himself.

Fred looked like he was going to say something before a very feminine voice yelled. "Fred!" The girl the voice belonged to stomped over to the blond male. She was very petite and Asian like Tadashi, wearing a biker jacket and bright purple streaks in her short black hair. "I told you not to touch my bike!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And I didn't. You didn't say anything about riding it, Gogo." Fred replied as though that would make his predicament better.

Gogo growled, clenching her teeth together to stop her from punching the young man in the face. “Be glad that it was a failed prototype anyway. Otherwise I would have murdered you! Stay away from my stuff. That includes touching, riding, smelling, tasting, or being in general vicinity! Got it?" She threatened before she stomped away without giving Fred time to answer.

Fred did a mock salute after her. "I consider myself lucky." He muttered before perking up. "Now what to nickname you, Tadashi?"

"That girl is my roommate, Leiko, I was talking about. Apparently now she's now called Gogo, thanks to Fred. Makes sense since she wants to create new transportation methods for the future." Honey whispered as Fred was spitting out and rejecting various nicknames for the taller male before him.

"I can't believe it. I got nothing!" Fred finally said in shock. "Maybe Tadashi isn't meant to be nicknamed."

Tadashi chuckled. “You think about that.”

"And you won't do the same for me!" Wasabi yelled at Fred.

Honey shook her head and followed Tadashi as he left the main lab to check out his private lab.

Tadashi opened the door to his lab and both he and Honey looked around the spacious area with a giant window with that faced a beautiful garden outside.

"I'm jealous. I wish I could have a private lab with this view." Honey walked over to the window and looked out.

He nodded. "Yeah, I guess I got pretty lucky to get this." He smiled.

What he didn't expect was what Honey Lemon has to say next, a complete one-eighty on the topic of discussion.

"By the way I saw you looking at a ultrasound picture in your wallet throughout Chemistry. Is one of your relatives having a baby?" Honey asked both curiously and excitedly, missing the momentary frightened look on Tadashi’s face.

He slapped himself mentally. He really wished that no one found out or noticed the picture; he should have thought that through as well. How could he be this stupid enough to have the picture out in public? The last thing he wanted was to be judged for his mistakes by the people who were already becoming his friends. But he didn't want to lie to them either.

"Not exactly." He nervously responded.

She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Is it a friend or a sibling who's having a baby?"

Tadashi shook his head and took a small breath, bracing for the confession, "Um...actually it's me that's having the baby. Well my ex-girlfriend that is." He clarified.

"Oh." Honey said in response with a neutral expression on her face. Not mad, not even uncomfortable, just neutral.

"I understand if you find this uncomfortable and wrong at my age, but what happened, happened." He said, expecting Honey to leave him in disgust, but she didn’t.

Instead of doing what he thought she’d do, she walked closer to him. "Can I see the picture?" Honey asked, a warm smile on her face.

Tadashi surprised by the question said, "Uh sure." He pulled out his wallet and took the picture out, handing it to her to look at.

Honey looks at for a second before smiling and said, "Look at him waving! Oh! He looks so cute! Or she! Uh, whatever the baby is!"

"It's a boy." Tadashi confirmed, a small smile on his face.

"Awwww!" She said in adoration. "I know you'll make a great Dad." She caught the sad look that crossed Tadashi’s face. "What's wrong?"

He shrugged. "I don't know if I am going to be a Dad. My ex isn't going to be a part of his life and I don't know if I can take care of him on my own.” He sighed, he didn’t want to explain everything to her, they only just met a few days ago, and he didn’t want to drop everything on an acquaintance.

Honey’s cheerfulness suddenly deflated. "I'm sorry that I made you feel sad. I know I just met you, but already you're such a great friend.” It was like she was reading his mind. “I think you can do it. But then again it's up to you." She told him, putting her hand on his shoulder and gave him back the ultrasound photo.

"Thanks Honey.” He gave her a small, but genuine smile. “You're practically the one other person besides a sarcastic shop owner who hasn't looked at me as if I were irresponsible. I feel like I let down a lot of people." Tadashi leaned against the side of his desk.

"Hey no one's perfect." She shrugged with a smile. "I've been klutz my entire life. Let's see how that works out with handling chemicals." She tried to lighten the atmosphere of the room.

Tadashi laughed as he cheered up a little bit. But then he took on a more serious face as he said, "Can you not tell the others about my situation? Until I know what I want to do at least?"

She nodded "Sure Tadashi. On one condition of course." Honey smiled.

He gave her a mock suspicious look. "And what that be?"

"If you decide to keep him, I want to throw you a baby shower." She smiled wise and bright.

"Uhhhhh...Honey. I think only girls are allowed to do that." Tadashi said awkwardly with a laugh.

She sobered up a little bit. "If Gogo heard you say that, she slap you and tell you to woman up. Besides someone has to have party for your baby boy!" Honey insisted, smile back on her face as if it never left.

Tadashi rolled his eyes but nodded anyway.

 


	6. 6.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for a little wait, updated my computer then got into an argument with said computer ended up having to wipe my hard drive (with took 15 hours… for some… odd reason… I don’t know why it took so long, I mean I ONLY had 100 GB of things saved… #sarcasm) Luckily, I save everything that was of importance to me and what not into my Google Drive. (Kids, use Google Drive. It can save lives. I’m living proof of that – and so is my computer since I didn’t have to murder it.)   
> And I will be honest, I was going to start this chapter with “September had come to pass” and whenever I hear ‘come to pass’ I instantly start singing Green Day. And I really hope “Wake Me Up When September Ends” gets stuck in your heads because it’s stuck in mine and I don’t want to suffer alone. (But if it gets The Addams’ Family jingle thing out of my head, I’ll gladly sing Green Day at the top of my lungs.)
> 
> And now that this AN is longer than the entire story of The Great Gatsby, on to Daddy ‘Dashi.

 

September flew by in the blink of an eye, a whirlwind of class synopsizes and boring first chapter lessons, and already Tadashi had earned himself a reputation to the rest of the freshman class and teachers as one of the most promising robotic students. He had a tendency to turn in papers that were above and beyond what the professors had asked for. A simple two page essay on how you can use the Cartesian coordinate system to make a manipulative robot from the average student turned into a ten page essay from Tadashi.

Even Professor Robert Callaghan was taking notice of him. He would nod approvingly whenever the freshman was showing his designs for some of the projects he was assigned, or would enthusiastically use Tadashi’s reports as an example in class. To everyone else that is almost an impossible achievement to earn those kinds of reactions from Callaghan.

Unfortunately not everyone was happy about Tadashi getting all that attention from the professors, being unanimously, but unspoken, chosen ‘favorite student’. Some of the students had a severe case of jealousy and would scowl at him whenever he got praised; one of which went by the name of Cameron Minami.

Cameron is a Japanese girl with hard coal-black eyes and wore her sleek black hair in a high ponytail that essentially screamed ‘pompous’. She absolutely loathed Tadashi and hated the attention he was getting from Callaghan; hating on the Hamada since he took the scholarship, that she deemed she deserved, away from her.

"I hate that bastard!" She growled one day at lunch to her friends.

Her boyfriend calmly patted her arm. "Come on, Cameron. Let it go. Does this have to always be a competition with you? It's College.”

"It is when that guy is getting attention from one of the best robotics professors in the world!" She barked as she ripped a piece of her sandwich.

"Cam, he may have attention now, but it could be you anytime soon." Her friend tried to assure the completive robotics student..

"It's not just Callaghan!” Cameron slammed her hand on the table, making everyone in a five-foot radius jump at the sudden noise. “It's everyone! They think he's this high and mighty guy who needs everyone to gravel at his feet.” She lowered her voice to keep anyone from over hearing. “He’s always perfect and Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes. Oh I just wish I can level the playing field with him." She clenched her teeth and looked toward where the topic of discussion was seated with his friends.

"Well, if that means so much to you, why don't you dig up some dirt on him just for self satisfactory? That way you know he's not perfect as he seems." Her friend suggest nonchalantly, completely unaffected by the way Cameron was acting, as if the college student losing her cool and complaining about everything was normal thing.

Cameron's face turns to a twisted smile as she said, " Yeah I should." She calmly stated and went back to _peacefully_ eating her sandwich.

Tadashi groaned as he came inside the school, Mondays never seemed to be is favorite day of the week, no matter how old he got. He had been up all weekend long working on his papers and project prototype for his robotics classes. But he felt grateful for the upcoming three-day weekend to recover, he just had to survive this week then he can relax.

Something was different as he walked down the halls, something he couldn’t put his finger on at that second. But he noticed the way a lot of the people that were passing by him, who usually greet him kindly, were now just looking at him awkwardly and whispering to their friends as he passed by.

Tadashi entered the classroom and was greeted by a few stares _at_ him, and he immediately felt like he was under some sort of microscope. No one said anything to him as he sat down in his chair; he had been looked at before, scrutinized when he presented his projects or answered a difficult question right and they waited for him to mess up, but never like this. There was too much of a mixture of emotions in the stares at him, some were of pity, or disgust, and some were just plain out mocking.

And he didn’t know why they were directed at him.

Callaghan came in, a few long moments later, as his usual self and got down to his lecture immediately. But Tadashi couldn’t pay any attention; too distracted listening on the whispers that were being said among his classmates all around him.

"He did that?"

"Yeah, looks like he won't be in school much longer."

"All this time he was idiot in disguise."

It didn't take Tadashi long to figure out what they were talking about. He immediately, but discretely, took out his phone and looked up on the school social page, praying that they were talking about some other person that just sounded like they were talking about him.

It _was_ about him, about him knocking up Vivienne. He felt his blood run cold as he started hearing more whispers, whispers that were about him, whispers _behind his back._

Tadashi was never really bullied when he was younger, yeah the odd few times someone would tease him for being smarted than others, but that was normally just a jab or two at his intelligence then they’d back off. When he got a bit older, some of his classmates would use him to get good grades, but never really _mocked_ him; and if Tadashi were to have been honest then, he much rather would have done the group work himself and get them _both_ a good mark than to tell the person that _they’d_ be the one doing most of the work and both of them fail.

Maybe all those bully-free years were finally coming to an end. He never really thought about the fact that he could be bullied as an adult; until _right now_.

He immediately shut his phone off and slid it back into his bag. He tried to pay attention to whatever it was Callaghan was lecturing about, but Tadashi just couldn’t. The second Callaghan let them leave, Tadashi never walked so fast to get away from somewhere.

He made it across campus in record time, never more thankful for scheduling most of his needed classes in the morning, he was able to just shut himself into his lab for the rest of the day, then slink out when everyone left.

He fell into his chair and leaned back, kicked his feet up on his desk and closed his eyes. _How did they find out?_ He kept asking himself, over and over in his head. The only person other than his aunt and Vivienne who knew was Honey; and Honey wasn’t the type to go telling secrets.

_So how did the entire campus find out?_

If his entire robotics class knew, all his friends probably knew now too.

He sighed and leaned back a little more, scooting down in his seat a bit, to rest his head on the top of the back of his chair.

This was not what he wanted; he didn’t want everyone to know. At least, not yet, not until he knew what he was going to do – keep his son or not.

He wasn’t ashamed of the growing little baby he helped create, by far. Does he wish it happened under better circumstances? Yes. But he helped create a life, a life that could do, _will do_ , so much when he grows up. It’s just, Tadashi didn’t want to be judged on what he did, the situation he put himself into It may sound selfish to anyone if he tried to explain it, he didn’t want to be stereotyped.

He only had a little bit of time alone with his thoughts before there was a rather forceful knocking on his door. He scrunched his closed eyes tighter together, maybe this was a bad dream and his alarm was going to be waking him up any minute to start his day.

Until Gogo’s surprisingly loud voice broke through the air. "Open up, Hamada! I know you're in there!”

Tadashi huffed and stood up and walked over to the lab door, opening it. “It was unlocked you know.” He looked at the shorter girl. Had this been anyother day, any other conversation about to happen, Tadashi would have laughed. Gogo was trying to look so stoic and tough even though she’s only 5’4 and she’s glaring up at him, who’s almost six foot even.

But it wasn’t, so he didn’t.

She muttered something before pushing her way through into his lab.

"Hey Tadashi." Everyone said coming out of nowhere and gently pushing their way into his dance space as well. They all looked like they wanted to say something, but waited for him to speak first.

He sighed for the fifteenth time in the last hour. “I know I kept a pretty big secret from you. Well except for Honey." He leaned against his desk, next to Fred who was actually sitting on the top, being mindful of all the papers Tadashi had spread out, trying to think of what to say next.

“Believe it or not,” Gog started, expression a little softer than a few seconds before, but still stoic as ever. “We don’t judge. We’ve all done things in the past that have changed us.”

Tadashi nodded. “I know, I mean, not that I _know_ I know, just,” He started getting himself tongue-tied. “I know you guys don’t judge. I just don’t want you guys to think less of me.” He looked down to the ground, avoiding everyone’s gaze.

"Tadashi you're pretty cool and you're so helpful. Why would you think that we would think of you otherwise?" Fred asked, giving his friend a should nudge.

The Hamada male shrugged.

"Tadashi you're our friend.” Wasabi started. “There are only a few ways to get us to think less of you. Murder someone, break into the White House, or kick a puppy.” Wasabi joked.

Tadashi chuckled a little. “I’m allergic to dogs, but I stepped on my cat’s tail once.”

“Wow. That’s heartless, man.” Fred shook his head. “We can’t be friends anymore.”

“But seriously, Tadashi.” Honey spoke finally. “We don’t think any less of you than we did yesterday. This is what’s supposed to happen for you, just like we’ve all had things that have happened to us for a reason.”

Tadashi smiled, content that his friends weren’t leaving him.

"Can I ask you something?" Fred asked after a moment.

Brown eyes looked over to the blond male.

"Are going to keep the kid?" The mascot questioned, in honest curiosity.

Tadashi froze for a second. He _still_ didn’t know.

“Haven’t made up your mind yet?" Gogo inquired. "No matter what you want to do we'll give our support." She actually smiled a bit.

“Thanks you guys." Tadashi told them.

"Now as for the whole social media incident thing. We found out that you have a jealous classmate, Cameron Minami I think he name is. So what do you want to do about it?" Gogo cracked her knuckles, content to go punch the chick out.

"I'm going to let it go." Tadashi shrugged, turning back to the project he was supposed to be planning out.

“What?” Everyone seemed to say at the same time.

"Look if she wants to tell everyone every dirty thing she could think, she'll be digging her own grave in the future.” Tadashi said as if this were the most casual conversation.

The shorter female of the group laughed "Well it seems that it's only thing that Tadashi would do. Teach her instead of hurting her."

 


	7. 7.

 

Seven months.

Seven months can fly by when you’ve got sort of time sensitive things you need to be concerned about.

Seven months and Tadashi still hadn’t decided what he was going to do. He weighed the pros and cons of keeping the baby, the pros and cons of giving the baby up for adoption, and the pros and cons of ever having sex again because all this decision-making was stressing him out.

“This will never work.” Tadashi sighed as he was trying to put pieces of his nursebot _back_ together. “Another dud.” He tossed the ruined bolt into a box of ‘never again working parts’. He had tested his prototype for the third time earlier that day; and it exploded. As in, exploded. Pieces and parts came flying off, almost hitting him and knocking Honey Lemon over, who was in _a completely different room_.

In all fairness, he had to admit that he wasn’t really paying attention to what he was doing, hadn’t really been for a few days now. Vivienne was due to have the baby a few days ago, and she still hadn’t yet; or at least, no word had gotten to Tadashi that she was having the baby.

So he tried to distract himself.

The college freshman shook his head in stressed defeat. “Back to the drawing board.” He leaned his head in his hand and sat there for a moment staring at his notebook in front of him, feigning a sense of focus if anyone had looked over at him.

Suddenly, his phone vibrates almost violently, the sound ripping through the quiet atmosphere in his lab space, scaring him half to death. He blindly picks it up and has to read the text multiple times before it actually hits him.

_The baby’s coming._

Tadashi cleaned up his lab, shot out to the parking lot and pulled out on his moped in record time. Whether he did everything safely was another topic; he had forgotten his helmet and Wasabi would probably ring his neck later when the bigger man sees that Tadashi just threw all the parts into a box and deemed it cleaned up. And the speeding that Tadashi did as he drove from the school to the hospital Vivienne was at, because she just had to pick the one furthest from his school.

His son was on the way. When that thought hit him, like a freight train, he almost had to pull over to breathe. Almost.

When he pulled into the parking lot, he called up his aunt as he walked up to the building, telling her to meet him there. When she asked why, he told her he needed someone there when he signed over his parental rights.

And she sounded a little _too_ relieved about that.

He got lost along the way, the halls of the hospital was just a maze and he some how kept ending up at the same waiting room multiple times until a kind nurse decides to point him in the right direction, which was left all along. And he eventually reaches the maternity ward.

“Name of the patient?” An elderly nurse asked him in formality.

“Vivienne Thompson.” He quickly tells her.

She types in her computer for a few seconds. “Are you the father of the baby?”

He nodded.

“I’m sorry, she specifically asked not to let you in until later.” The nurse told him, a sad smile on her face.

“B-but my son is being born!” He was practically pleading with her.

“I’m sorry, hospital rules.” She gently told him. “You’ll have to wait. Someone will be out to let you in later.” She motioned to some chairs by a door. “A doctor or nurse will be coming through the doors.”

Tadashi sighed and stepped back from the desk. “Thank you.” He started walking towards the chairs she had pointed to.

“Congratulations though.” The nurse told him a smile.

He gave a small, somewhat forced, smile in return before taking a seat. He took out his wallet and passed the time by looking at the ultrasound picture.

Tadashi sighed, leaning back in the chair, he felt it was sort of wrong that Vivienne didn’t want him there for her, he felt like this was something he should be a part of. This was _his son_ being born, _his._ And hers. Tadashi wanted to be there for the _both of them_.

But. But he could understand _a little_ why she didn't want him in there with her. If he was being honest with himself, and he was – why would he lie to himself when he knew the truth- he would have tried to broach the subject of them raising the baby. Together. Not giving _their_ son up for adoption. And he knows exactly how that conversation would go.

It wouldn’t.

He didn’t know exactly how much time had passed, but long enough for the nurse who directed him to sit down went to lunch and came back. Tadashi was still in the chair, hadn’t gotten up or anything, running his thumb over the ultrasound, the picture somehow keeping him from letting out a frustrated noise.

When he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder, he jumped, not expecting it. He looked over to see his aunt sitting next to him.

“Sorry it took a while.” She started out, setting her back down next to her in the chair. “I couldn’t find someone to watch the café.”

He looked away from her. “It’s fine, nothing’s really happened yet.”

Cass glanced over his shoulder to see the ultrasound picture, the picture she didn’t ask to see when he first got it, not wanting to really encourage anything. “That the ultrasound picture of him?” She asked even though she knew.

Tadashi nodded, not verbally answering her, and handed the little piece of paper over to her to look at.

The aunt took it quietly and glanced down with green eyes at the picture; quick memories of her sister showing her _Tadashi’s_ ultrasound picture so many years ago. _Wow they sure have changed_. She thought as she held onto it for a few more seconds before giving it back to her nephew.

Uncountable hours passes with the two member family sitting in the maternity ward waiting room before a male nurse walked over, immediately assuming they were there for Vivienne.

“Tadashi Hamada?” He asked just to make sure.

Tadashi immediately stood, Cass following suit.

“He’s a healthy baby.” The nurse began with a smile as he looked down at his clipboard. “He’s a nine on the Apgar test, he weighs five pounds, seven ounce. He’s a little on the small side, but that’s fine.” He looked back up at Tadashi. “Would you like to see him?”

Tadashi nodded without hesitating.

The nurse led them down a few halls toward the nursery. He stopped them in front of one of the windows that looked into the very colorful room; pinks, greens, blues, and purples covered the walls along with what Tadashi could only assume were large copies of children’s drawings of characters on the walls.

“Second row, right in the middle. “ The nurse pointed out.

Amidst all the quiet, sleeping babies with name cards on the front of their little bins was a small crying baby in a bin marked Hamada. Tadashi stood there watching the baby, _his_ baby, _his son._

Seven months and Tadashi still hadn’t decided what he was going to do as he looked at _his son,_ who was most definitely mostly Vivienne, right down to the personality, with the exception of the baby’s hair, sort of. The wildness of the hair was definitely from his mother, but he color was Tadashi.

The baby wouldn’t lie still, seemingly trying to squirm his way out of the little cozy blue blanket.

“He’s been crying nonstop.” The male nurse told them, breaking through Tadashi’s thoughts. “I don’t think it helped that the mother didn’t even want to hold him.”

 _How could she not?_ Tadashi shook his head to himself. _Her child was just born and she didn’t even want to comfort him._ His mood instantly started depleting. She really didn’t want anything to do with the baby.

He looked over to the nurse on the other side of his aunt, purposely keeping his gaze from going to her. “Can I hold him?”

The nurse nodded, a smile on his face. “Of course! You’re the father.” He motioned for Tadashi to follow him; Cass didn’t move an inch as her nephew walked around her. The two men stopped just inside the little door that was next to the hallway window, Tadashi still avoiding looking at his aunt. Had he had been looking he would have noticed the slightly confused expression on her face, like she was thinking about something.

The nurse carefully picked up the loudly complaining baby, tucking the blue blanket around the newborn, and walked him over to Tadashi, trying to wiggle his way out of the nurse’s arms.

“Fidgety little guy, aren’t you?” The nurse commented to the child. He made it back over to Tadashi and carefully put the moving baby in his father’s arms.

The second the baby was passed into Tadashi’s arms, he stopped crying, calmed down and looked almost curiously up at Tadashi.

“Hey buddy.” Tadashi muttered quietly. “What’s with all the crying, huh?”

He was almost pretty sure his son gave him an ‘are-you-serious’ look.

The college freshman gave the baby a soft smile as he gently stroked the baby’s thick head of hair. As he watched the baby’s expression soften and his brown eyes close, Tadashi couldn’t help the little feeling in his chest as it bloomed; he’s a _dad_ now, a father.

“I think he likes you.” The nurse quietly joked.

Tadashi let out a little huff of a laugh, trying not to wake _his son_ up.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over to see his aunt standing next to him, an unreadable expression on her face.

Watching her nephew hold his son was almost like a mirror image of all those years ago when she was able to see her brother-in-law hold Tadashi for one of the first times. How Tadashi’s father never wanted to put his son down and had this ‘proud father’ look about him. Cass had never seen him cry until he was holding Tadashi.

And now, here was Tadashi holding _his son_ in his arms for the _first_ time, and he had the same ‘proud father’ aura about him.

Tadashi had turned from his aunt for all of two seconds to look down at the baby when he felt the newborn move, seeing that the baby had sensed a new presence near him and he just had to see whom it was. When Tadashi looked back over to her, he could see tears barely hidden in her green eyes.

“I can’t give him up.” Tadashi mumbled to his aunt, looking at her this time. “I can’t do that.”

“Tadashi-” She had started but her nephew cut her off.

“I know what you’re going to say.” He continued. “That I’m only eighteen, just starting in college, I need to focus on that.”

“Tadashi, I-” She tried again.

“I know you don’t approve of this, seven months of quietness and mad looks from you have proved that. But I can’t leave him with strangers.” Tadashi kept rambling on and on. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to him. I know this will disappoint everyone in like, the entire city, but Vivienne already left him, I can’t leave him too. I can’t do that.”

“Tadashi.” She gave up trying to cut into what he was saying and just tried to get him to be quiet for a moment.

“I know you really don’t want me to take him, and if you kick me out, that’s fine but-” This time, he got cut off.

She pinched his shoulder to get him to shut up. “Tadashi.” She made sure he was listening before she continued. She walked around so she was standing in front of her nephew and her _great nephew_. “I’m not going to kick you out, I would never do that. I’m sorry I made you feel like I would and that I would be mad at you forever. I was just so disappointed that you made some stupid decisions. But keeping him would not be one of those.” She gently told him. “If you want to keep him, keep him.” She smiled at him for the first time in a long while.

He smiled back, taking a quick glance down at the baby in his arms.

“But, there are several conditions.” She stated in a more stern voice. “One. He. Is. Your. Top. Priority. Your responsibility no matter what. This is a child, not one of your robots.” She gave him a look. “Mochi was supposed to be your responsibility, remember?”

Tadashi nodded sheepishly. “Yeah.”

Cass tapped him on the shoulder. “Two. As long as your living under my roof, you’re going to continue going to school. Whether you stay at SFIT or go somewhere online if you think that’d be easier, fine. But if the thought of dropping out ever even _crosses_ your mind, you’re in trouble.” She finished. “I’ll think of more conditions later.”

“Wanna hold him?” Tadashi asked quietly.

“Sure.” Cass smiled again. She held her arms out as Tadashi slid the baby into her arms. “Have you decided on a name yet?” She did the pro move of bouncing a bit in place to gently rock the baby.

Brown eyes looked into a fresh, new pair of brown eyes as he thought. He had a list of baby names he had compiled in his mind, just in case he decided that he couldn’t give the baby up, played around with how the names would sound against Hamada; and while a lot of them did have a nice ring to it, looking at the baby in front of him, they didn’t fit.

The baby started squirming in his _great aunt_ ’s arms.

“You’re an active little one, aren’t you?” Cass asked in a baby voice. “You’re gonna test your daddy’s patience aren’t you?” She gave a small laugh.

 _Hiro._ A little thought popped into Tadashi’s head. _Means tolerance._ “Hiro.” He voiced the name.

Cass and the baby, _Hiro_ , looked over to Tadashi.

“Hiro Hamada.” Tadashi gave the baby a look. “How’s that sound?”

The baby, _Hiro_ , gave a small little smile and garbled something in baby language. But the two family members took that as a _sounds good!_

Cass passed Hiro back over into his father’s arms.

“We’ve decided on a name?” The male nurse looked over from one of the other babies in the nursery.

Tadashi nodded. “Hiro.”

“I think that’s a perfect name for you, mister.” Cass poked a gentle finger at Hiro.

The baby snuggled closer to Tadashi.

 


	8. 8.

 

For comfortable _looking_ chairs the hospital stocked in the waiting rooms, they sure _weren’t_ comfortable. Tadashi slept in the most deceitful chair ever made, all because he refused to leave _Hiro_ by himself; granted, Tadashi wasn’t technically with him since he was loitering in the waiting room, but the fact that he was still in the near vicinity of Hiro.

 

Hospital regulations, newborns had to stay the night just to make sure no complications arose during the nights. And state rules that newborns weren’t allowed to leave the hospital grounds until hospital personnel has seen at least a carrier and a car seat.

 

There are only so many places open in the middle of the night. And very, very rarely is one of those stores a Baby ‘R Us.

 

Aside from that, Tadashi also had to talk to the hospital administrators and social

services about taking custody of Hiro; Vivienne was true to her word and had already signed off her parental rights after she gave birth. So social and the hospital had to know that Tadashi was going to be the sole provider for his son.

 

Cass stayed at the hospital with him, it was already well into the wee hours of the morning when they had gotten to see Hiro, so it wasn’t like she was missing out on a lot of sleep. She had squeezed her nephew’s shoulder at one point just as the sky was turning pink over the lowest building they could see out of the window, and quietly told him she’d go pick up the immediate baby necessities while he took care of the paperwork.

 

As she left, Tadashi got the wise thought to email his professors stating that he wouldn’t be in class today or the rest of the week, and then emailed his school dean discussing the situation and asked if he could take the rest of the semester off, it being only a few more weeks and saying that he’d take the courses over again either over the summer term just next year.

 

Hiro had spent most of the night, and morning, being a fussy little bundle. Tadashi would peek in on him in between him talking with the hospital and the social worker, Hiro would calm down a bit, but as soon as his dad was out of the area, Hiro would carry on again.

 

“Well, he seems to have quite the personality.” The male nurse from earlier joked when Tadashi had come in after everything that needed it, was signed. Hiro was asleep in his little incubator.

 

Tadashi let out a semi-forced chuckle. “I don’t have the first clue at taking care of a baby.” He admitted as he looked at the tuff of black hair nestled in warm, blue blanket.

 

The nurse smiled in a soft, understanding manner. “Most first-timers don’t. Even _with_ parenting classes.”

 

“I don’t even know how to tape a diaper!” The first-time father started panicking the more he thought about the fact in just a short period’s time, he’d be alone with his baby, not including his aunt, but Hiro would be out of the hospital’s care and into Tadashi’s.

 

“Don’t fret, the images are always on the side, as well as written instructions on the pack.” The nurse assured.

 

“Tadashi.” He heard his aunt come up behind them. The new father turned around to see her with a new red carrier and a small, simple black tote bag.

 

“You got a carrier!” The nurse smiled, “I’ll notify the administration.”

 

Cass shook her head. “I’ve already talked to them, and they’ve seen the car seat.” She handed the carrier to her nephew. “It’s got robots on it.”

The college student chuckled.

 

“You just need to sign one more paper to discharge him.” The nurse said as one of the assistants to the admins handed Tadashi the clipboard.

 

The eighteen year old quickly skimmed the page, the form just stating that Hiro was now in his care, and any hospital fees will be billed to him within a few weeks.

Tadashi signed his name on the dotted line.

 

“Good luck, Mister Hamada.” The nurse told him before walking away with the admin assistant.

 

Tadashi turned to his aunt. “Thanks so much, Aunt Cass.” He hugged her.

She waved it off. “It’s no problem, hun. Are you sure you want to dip into the college fund your parents left you?” She asked as the two walked over to Hiro’s little incubator.

 

Tadashi nodded. “Well it’s more than enough for me anyway, and besides, I already have a complete scholarship. At least it’s not going to waste.” He gestured to the little baby who was waking up from his little nap. Tadashi sat the carrier on the table next to his son.

 

“That woman at the baby store you told me about, has a loud personality.” Cass commented, semi-changing the subject. “But she said the crib should be in by tomorrow.”

 

Tadashi turned his head toward her slightly. “Where will he sleep until then?”

“I picked up the cutest bassinet that should be good for tonight.” She clapped her hands together quietly. “Oh, and I also picked up my great nephew something else!” She unzipped the tote that she had strapped over her shoulder, digging around in it looking for what she bought.

 

Her nephew raised an eyebrow. “What’d you buy?” He asked, slightly amused, but curious. Cass had two settings when buying things, practical and chic, or random and quirky.

 

“Well, I didn’t want little Hiro to go home in a white hospital onesie,” She continued shuffling things in the bag. “Ah ha, here it is.” She pulled it out. “I think this is more appropriate, since he is an official Hamada.” She had a mishcivious glint in her eye as she unfolded the piece of fabric she pulled out and turned the front toward Tadashi. It was a navy blue onesie with red letters spelling out ‘Daddy’s Latest Invention’.

 

Tadashi immediately started laughing. Random and quirky was what she bought.

Hiro awoke fully at his father’s laugh, a curious look on the baby’s face, but beginning to get fussy again.

 

“Sorry, Hiro.” Tadashi smiled as he picked up the baby gently, unwrapping the blanket a little bit. “But you’re leaving this place.” He gently rocked the baby who was looking toward the new onesie in his great aunt’s hands.

 

Hiro made a curious noise toward the new outfit.

 

“I think he wants us to put it on him now.” Tadashi chuckled.

Cass giggled as she softly smoothed Hiro’s fluffy tuff of hair with a free hand. “Better give the boy what he wants.”

 

Tadashi shook his head as he laid Hiro back down, but this time in the carrier. “Less than twelve hours old and already spoiling him. Aunt Cass, that’s gotta be some kind of record.”

 

“First of all, I’m his great aunt, it’s in the job description.” Cass pointed out as she watched Tadashi start to unwrap his son from the blue hospital blanket. “Alright, let’s get this little guy dressed so we can go home.” She leaned around Tadashi and gave Hiro a little smile, trying to entertain the baby while his father worked to unclasp the hospital issued onesie.

 

It doesn’t take Tadashi long to change his son, Cass pulling out little red socks and mittens to match the new outfit, and have the baby swaddled in the blanket again, the nurse showing Tadashi how to do it earlier in the day.

 

“Is he going to be warm enough?” Tadashi asked. “It’s pretty cold outside.”

 

Cass fixed the tote strap from falling off her arm. “He’s more than warm enough.”

 

Tadashi picks up the carrier’s handles and the three Hamadas start walking out of the nursery and out to the car. They got Hiro situated with only a few issues, those being they couldn’t figure out how to get the damned carrier to fit into the holder, as the carrier was a two-in-one - a carrier and a car seat. But after they figure it out, they were on their way home Tadashi sitting in the back seat with Hiro.

 

The new father watched as Hiro would look up and out the window, seeing the tops of buildings as they drove by, smiling at nothing in particular and cooing to himself. Just taking it all in.

 

Cass watched Tadashi however; in the rearview mirror when she’s look out the back window. She would catch glimpses of Tadashi smiling at Hiro, in fact, she was pretty sure the smile never left her nephew’s face.

 

It didn’t take them all too long for them to reach their house, Hiro’s new home. Cass grabbed the tote bag she had at the hospital and got a few things out of the trunk while Tadashi unbuckled his son’s carrier before going into the house. She smiled as she heard Tadashi practically giving the baby a tour of the café as they walked through it, even though the little guy had no idea what Tadashi was saying, what he was pointing to or out. But she could hear Hiro just cooing along.

 

“Little tip, don’t stress Aunt Cass out.” Tadashi said with a chuckle when Cass walked by the two Hamada males.

 

Cass leaned into Hiro’s view and once he looked at her, she shook her head. “You wouldn’t stress me out, would you Hiro. You’re not gonna act like your dad, wild child.” She pinched _Tadashi’s_ cheek before she started heading up the stairs into the house before them.

 

“I wasn’t a wild child!” Tadashi noted as he climbed up the stairs a little slower than Cass, he had precious cargo in his hands, he didn’t want to accidently bump the carrier against the wall or something.

 

“SURPRISE!” His friends hush yelled as they jumped out of the kitchen.

 

“Guys!” Tadashi jumped, but because he was startled. “I thought you guys were in school?” He asked as he looked around, seeing the kitchen and living room decorated in blue balloons and streamers, a banner over the top part of the kitchen saying ‘It’s a Boy!’

 

Hiro was looking around as well and let out a baby laugh, seemingly at his father’s reaction.

 

You’re aunt told us the news and we just couldn’t help ourselves!” Honey peeked at the baby in the carrier. “Aw!”

 

“Consider this your baby shower, Hamada.” Gogo gave a half smile as she watched Honey practically fawn over the little bundle of baby in the carrier.

 

“Thanks guys, you didn’t have to do this.” Tadashi sat the carrier on the counter, all his friends were able to see little Hiro that way. “You were in on this?” Tadashi asked his aunt when he saw her smirking and holding a camera.

 

“Why do you think it took me so long to go shopping this morning?” She innocently smiled and pressed the shutter button on her camera.

 

“We wanted to throw this for you.” Fred spoke in a baby voice as he looked at Hiro, who was laughing ad soaking up all the attention he was getting.

 

The group of college kids cooed at the baby.

 

Hiro decided he had spent enough time in the carrier and started to squirm and fuss.

Tadashi reached in and pulled the baby out, and into his arms. 

 

“Aw!” Honey cooed again, adoring the baby in her best friend’s arms.

 

“’Daddy’s latest invention’?” Wasabi mused. “That’s a good one.”

 

Cass beamed from behind the camera.

 

“Aunt Cass picked it out.” The first-time father stated.

 

Gogo leaned over the counter. “He definitely looks like you.” She pointed out.

 

“Maybe not your patience.” Wasabi joked when the baby continued to fuss.

 

The older Hamada male chuckled. “I do need to feed him.”

 

Cass snapped her fingers. “Already got it ready.” She walked around the group and opened the fridge, revealing a pre-made bottle. She handed it over to Tadashi after he situated Hiro a little better in one arm and took the bottle with his free hand. The newborn had a little challenge at figuring out how to suck on the bottle’s nipple, but the challenge is quickly figured out and got the hang of it.

 

The group of friends cooed at the sight, even stoic-like Gogo couldn’t help the little smile that danced on her face.

 

“Okaerinasai, Hiro.” Tadashi murmured in Japanese to his son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a bit to get up, I’ve been meaning to create a schedule to write, and what I’d be writing.  
> And I think I’ve finally decided what I want to do with my life.  
> I’m going to try to get into the Air Guard.  
> :)


	9. 9.

The first night Hiro was home was exhausting for Tadashi; he would have used a much stronger word than ‘exhausting’ but he couldn’t think of one.

 

His friends hadn’t stayed too long during the evening, leaving shortly after dinnertime so they could take care of their schoolwork they neglected that day. But not before they gave Tadashi some baby necessities and gifts for little Hiro. Fred got Hiro a not-scary monster nightlight; after all, Fred didn’t want to scare the baby. Hiro didn’t seem too terrified of it or mind it much; he just stared at it almost curiously. Honey gave the new father some baby clothes, some that would fit Hiro at the moment, and some he would grow into. Tadashi decided then and there that both her and Cass were going to have to help him clothes shop for Hiro, lest he be dressing his baby in t-shirts, vests and cardigans.

 

Gogo gave Hiro a few stuffed animals, and the one he seemed to gravitate to the most was a little, yellow, floppy bunny that looked like it had been loved in it’s heyday. She had mentioned it was once hers, which explained the little burn hole in one of it’s ears, and figured Hiro might like it. Tadashi made the mistake of ‘awwing’ at that, she _gently_ punched her friend, but Tadashi knew that if he weren’t holding Hiro at the precise moment, he’d probably have a bruise.

 

Wasabi gave Tadashi a few packs of rags, which no matter how smart Tadashi was, he wasn’t familiar with babies, so it never crossed his mind until Wasabi had pointed out they were drool rags. His clean-freak of a friend also gave Tadashi a few other cleaners that were safe for areas around a baby.

 

After the group of college students left, Cass went to clean up the kitchen and take care of the café to prepare it for opening tomorrow. While Tadashi took his son upstairs to where the two of them would be sharing a room.

 

“Alright, Hiro.” Tadashi sat the carrier down on his desk and motioned to the room. “This is where we sleep.” He looked down to his son and smiled.

 

Hiro just blinked in response.

 

Tadashi chuckled and looked around the room for the bassinet his aunt had mentioned she set up. But to his surprise, the entire room looked almost completely different than when he left it the morning before. He knew Cass had moved some of his stuff around, but the fact that he was only gone for a day, and the fact that she was _with him_ for most of the time at the hospital.

 

His bed, and most of his belongings were pushed into a corner of the room to make room for all of the stuff they were going to get Hiro. Tadashi’s bamboo paper room divider was now used as it was meant to be, as a room divider, instead of something to use a makeshift door for his room. The screen now was placed a few feet from his bed, behind his dresser and small writing desk to cut the room up and separating his ‘room’ from what was going to be Hiro’s ‘nursery’.

 

The nursery space itself was pretty bare, one of Tadashi’s old dressers he had as a kid was back up in the room, it had been kept in the garage for some odd years, Cass not wanting to get rid of it since it used to belong to her sister, some kind of diaper genie thing, and the bassinet. Other than those three things, the space was empty.

 

Tadashi sighed and turned back toward Hiro, as he took in the fact that the only thing left of Tadashi’s on _this side_ of the room divider was his desktop computer. And since the only phone cable in the room was _right there_ where it was plugged in, it couldn’t really move anywhere.

 

The new father chuckled. “You’re two days old, and you’re already a space taker.” He tapped his son’s nose, causing a baby giggle, well, what Tadashi took was supposed to be a giggle, it honestly was just a little baby coo but seemed a little more excited than a _coo_.

 

“So,” Cass’s voice startled Tadashi. “What do you think?” She put her hands on her hips.

 

“Surprised at how much it changed in the span of a day.” He admitted. “Kinda curious as to how you managed to do that, but I don’t think I want to know.”

 

She gaved her nephew’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “You have more surprises to come during fatherhood.” She looked away from him and over at Hiro, who was looking around at everything in his line of vision.

 

“By the way, where are my tools?” Tadashi questioned as he looked at the wall behind his son to see the _entire board_ that he had his tools hung on, missing.

 

She made a funny face at Hiro to get him to smile. “Moved the into the garage. Yes I did.” She spoke baby talk. “Don’t want Hiro getting a hold of them, do we? No.” She shook her head, still playing with Hiro. “No we don’t, do we, Hiro? Didn’t think so.”

 

“You’re going to scare him if you keep talking like that.” The eighteen year old commented. “Scaring me at least.” He added quietly.

 

“Had to be done.” She was still talking about the tools, but in her normal voice now. “Those are dangerous for a baby.”

 

Tadashi nodded. “I know, but you don’t know my organizing system!” He half-assed an argument.

 

“Did Wasabi help you organize that system?” She questioned.

 

“Yeah.” The baby daddy walked over to the bassinet, unfolding the blankets Cass had put there.

 

“Well, he helped me move them, so I’m pretty sure they’re in the same place.” She told him.

 

“That’s how you managed to move the entire room around?” Her nephew asked, motioning to his _teeny, tiny_ little corner.

 

His aunt nodded. “Yep. You’re friends are really helpful. I wasn’t going to have them help, and I was just moving some things around for Hiro’s bassinet, but they came up and offered to help. Another reason why I was gone so long this morning.” She leaned against the desk. “You’re going to need to keep _your_ toys away from _his_.” She started walking over to her nephew. “Or you’re both going to be put in the hospital. One for playing with the wrong things. And the other,” She poked Tadashi in the chest and looked up at him. “For letting it happen.” She punctuated her sentence with another, more harsh, poke.

 

He gave a mock salute, knowing she wouldn’t hesitate doing that.

 

She gave him a warm, loving smile. “Well, I’ll leave you tow alone now. Gotta go take inventory and make sure everything is closed up for the night.” She started walking away to go back to the café, but not before peeking in at Hiro. “Good night Hiro. Don’t give your dad _too much_ trouble.” She laughed to herself and disappeared.

 

Tadashi shook his head as he turned his full attention back to his newborn son. He gently picked Hiro up out of the carrier and started bouncing him softly. “Alright, Hiro.” He began speaking in an almost whispered tone. “We’re a team now, and being part of a team means we have to do our part. I will try my hardest to be the best dad to you, that’s my part. And your part is to try to be patient with me. This is all new for everybody.”

 

Hiro cooed a little in response, as if agreeing with the terms.

 

Tadashi chuckled. “That’s what I want to hear.” He started walking over to the little bassinet. “This is your bed for right now, sorry it’s a little small.” He looked down at the baby. “Though, you’re small, so it shouldn’t be all that bad.” He leaned as close to the bassinet as he could before he laid his baby son, _his son his son,_ down into it, remembering that Aunt Cass said babies shouldn’t sleep with blankets or pillows or anything else, and that they should be on their back.

 

It didn’t take more than a minute for Hiro to nod off, leaving Tadashi to an opportunity to finish the homework he was going to turn in before leaving for the rest of the semester, his professors were nice enough to let him take the exams at the end of the summer term so he didn’t have to take all the classes over again.

 

(---)

 

Tadashi was about halfway through reading a chapter and filling out the assignment when he heard Hiro start fussing. He remembered the nurse had told Tadashi to wait a couple minutes to see if Hiro would calm himself back down to go to sleep, but if he didn’t to go check on him. Tadashi was also advised to stay as quiet as he could during nighttime changes and feedings so he didn’t wake Hiro up too much.

 

“What’s up buddy?” Tadashi oh-so-quietly asked as he walked over to the bassinet. Halfway across the room Tadashi knew _instantly_ what was wrong. “I figured I’d have to do this eventually.” He sighed to himself, not looking forward to the detail. Earlier after his friends had left, Cass had showed him how to do it, by instructing him as he changed Hiro’s diaper, for the first time. He only hoped he’d be able to do it again, right, just by reading the package instructions.

 

“Remember, patients is needed for me.” Tadashi muttered to his son as he lifted the baby out of his little sleeping bed and onto the changing mat on top of the dresser.

 

After a few minutes, two ruined diapers that he pulled the tape strips off of, and one spot on the wall Tadashi was going to have to bleach and burn later, a fresh diaper was on Hiro; who was still kinda fussy, but probably because his dad is a giant goof who couldn’t put on a diaper right. Third time’s the charm; Tadashi was going to have to teach Hiro that at some point.

 

The newly-frazzled father gently rocked Hiro back to sleep, setting the precious little bundle of baby back into the bassinet before getting to work on cleaning the wall.

 

It took him half an hour to do everything and get back to his homework. And only another hour and a half before Hiro started fussing again.

 

The tired college student slash father stumbled over to his son. “Hiro, what’s up?” He glanced over at the clock on the wall. “Feeding time, I guess?” He looked down at the baby whose brown eyes looked up into Tadashi’s own.

 

Hiro only blinked in response.

 

“Once for no and twice for yes.” Tadashi joked.

 

Hiro blinked twice.

 

“I was only kidding.” Tadashi mumbled as he picked his son up, brushing the blinks off as coincidence. “But alright.” He carried the baby, who was quiet now, down into the kitchen. He opened the fridge with his foot and was relieved to see some more of the ready-made formula sitting on the top shelf, and a note from his aunt telling him to run the bottle under hot water for a few minutes to warm it.

 

Hiro’s eyes seemed to brighten when the bottle was in his view; Tadashi passed it off as the trick of the refrigerator light. The little baby squirmed when the precious bottle was taken from his view.

 

“Hey, shhh.” Tadashi cooed to the baby. “Aunt Cass is sleeping. I just gotta warm this up first, buddy.” He smiled down at the little baby trying to find the bottle again. “Give me just a minute, okay?” Trying to get a newborn to be patient, even though Tadashi stated Hiro should be, wasn’t an easy task.

 

_“Always test heated formula on the inside of your wrist.”_ Tadashi recalled his aunt telling him.

 

When he pulled the now significantly warmer bottle of formula away from the running water, he dribbled a few drops on the inside of his wrist, and was instantly glad he did. He deemed it to be too hot for Hiro, and the skin on his arm seemed to agree when it grew a little red.

 

“Sorry bud, hang on, it’s a little too hot for you at the second.” He told his son, who once again caught sight of the bottle.

 

Took the bottle a few minutes to cool down to a nice temperature for Hiro to drink.

 

Tadashi finally got the newborn back to sleep, safe and sound in his bassinet, and he made the mistake of thinking Hiro would sleep through the rest of the night.

 

That was nice little pipe dream while it lasted.

 

Hiro was born as an alarm clock in a human body, Tadashi was pretty sure. It seemed like every two hours, on the _dot_ , Hiro would need something else – another diaper change, and Tadashi managed to duck this time around, another feeding time, and just being plain ol’ fussy. It seemed to be even more frequent when Tadashi _attempted_ to get some sleep, but just as Hiro would cry like clockwork, Tadashi would get up, not listening to his tired mind protesting, and care for his baby boy.

 

_His son_ he has to repeatedly tell himself every time he looked at Hiro. He helped create life, life that was so unbelievably small and helpless and dependent. Tadashi couldn’t help but smile whenever he looked at Hiro, no matter how loud the baby was crying, or the fact that by the time Hiro’s going to out grow the stage of crying at night Tadashi is going to need hearing aids. He still smiled.

 

(---)

 

It was around five-thirty in the morning when Cass came out of her room, ready to get the café ready to open. She walked into the living room to grab her Lucky Cat apron she left in there when she noticed a peculiar, but heartwarming scene in front of her.

 

Tadashi was sitting on the couch, leaning back against the back cushions, his hair sticking up in directions that probably hadn’t even been invented yet, dark bags under his eyes, and a text book fallen on the floor. And little Hiro was in his carrier, just waking up, on the coffee table and safely away from any edges.

 

Cass practically awed at the sight and grabbed the camera she had used yesterday at the little party. “Hiro, honey look over here.”

 

The baby turned toward his great aunt just long enough for her to snap a picture. “That’s going on the front page of your baby book.” She told the little baby as she pocketed the camera. “How about we let your dad sleep a little while, hm?” She gently shook Tadashi’s arm.

 

The college student almost bolted upright.

 

“Why don’t you go take a nap upstairs.” Cass suggested to him. “I’ve got a little while before I have to have the café opened, I’ll watch Hiro.”

 

Tadashi didn’t argue, and Cass wasn’t even sure if he was _actually_ awake as he staggered upstairs.

 

She turned back towards little Hiro. “Hungry? Let’s get you something to eat, keeping your dad awake all night must have made you an appetite.” She giggled to herself before picking the carrier up and going into the kitchen to start her first ever _Great Aunt babysitting_ duties _._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, two things.  
> 1\. I missed spelled the word ‘passed’ in here, and I forgot to add the ‘d’ at the end so Word decided I meant ‘passé’. And I didn’t know what that meant, so I curiously clicked ‘look up’. Passé means ‘out of date’ or ‘past prime’.  
> Now we both know a new word.  
> 2\. I really freaked my mom out. I was looking up baby stuff, so this story would sound realistic, and my mom had to use my computer for a moment and she pulled up safari and promptly flipped a little bit when she saw the 17 tabs of baby information. HA! I never ever leave my house, like ever, I don’t know why she would think I was having a baby (yes, I’m almost 21 and I still live at home).


	10. 10.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys, I am so sorry this is so late. This has been one helluva week and a half. One of my old friends passed away this week. Guys, don't so drugs. I'm serious. You may think it's 'fun' or 'cool', but it's not. And it definitely won't be fun or cool when you accidentally OD. I hate losing friends and family to drugs or drunk driving (not that I like losing people any other way, but still, these are preventable). And I don't want to hear about one of you guys having the same fate.

 

 

Three days. Three long, screaming and crying – not all from Hiro – filled days. It had only been three days and Tadashi was exhausted.

 

Hiro, only being four days old, already had a very demanding, attention grabbing personality. And was never, ever calm. The little baby wouldn’t sleep or calm down until he had everything he needed, and if he didn’t, you’d hear about it. A fraction of the time Hiro just wanted his dad’s attention and didn’t need anything else, the little baby was just bored.

 

The two adult Hamadas also learned that Hiro had very high expectations of them when they were taking care of him. He seems to expect what he wanted the very second he cried for it; and if they brought him the wrong thing, he seemed to almost _glare_ at them – which was impossible for a baby his age, and he was actually just looking at it, but it _felt_ like a glare to them.

 

Tadashi slowly made his way down the stairs, Hiro in the carrier in hand, yawning at another sleepless night.

 

“Couldn’t sleep?” Cass asked when Tadashi gently sat the carrier down on the counter in a spot they had unofficially dubbed as ‘Hiro’s Spot’, in between the sink and the refrigerator.

 

“I dozed off a few times into a light sleep, but he was very fussy last night.” The four day old father plopped himself into one of the counter chairs. “I tried everything to calm him down. I swaddled him, rocked him, bounced him, fed him, changed him. And, I really honestly think, at one point I even tried a magic trick.” He rubbed his face with his hands. “But I may have dreamt that.”

 

His aunt frowned as she poured her nephew a cup of coffee. “Well, maybe he’s not colicky. Maybe he just doesn’t like sleeping and we need to find something else to calm him down.”

 

Tadashi took a big sip of the scolding hot beverage in front of him. “Hopefully we’ll find something at the baby store when we go today.”

 

Cass nodded in agreement. “We do need a lot. He may sleep better when we get him an actual crib.” She turned around to rinse out the coffee pot. “Hey, did you try driving him around the block in the truck?”

 

He was still half asleep, his excuse for being off his thinking game. “Why would I do that?”

 

The mother figure looked over her shoulder at him, a slight disbelieving look on her face. “Because it’s a tried and true way to get a baby to go to sleep at night.”

 

He shook his head as he stood up to make his way to the fridge to get a bottle of baby formula. “Like I just said, I’m pretty sure I tried magic tricks last night, I wouldn't’ have been safe to drive.”

 

Cass chuckled. “Kinda wish we had you trying that on tape.”

 

Tadashi shook his head again, running Hiro’s bottle under warm water. “I think I just pulled a blanket out from behind my back. Not that impressive.”

 

She gave his shoulder a squeeze, “Well hurry up and you two eat so we can get down to the store.”

 

(---)

 

Two breakfasts, a hot shower, and Cass filling up her phone’s camera roll with photos of Hiro later, they were on their way to the little baby store.

 

The three Hamadas make it into the store and was greeted by a pregnant couple arguing over who knows what while the store associate, Ginny, stood next to them looking quite bored.

 

“I just think it’s important that my mother be in the delivery room and afterward.” The lady told her partner.

 

He looked exasperated. “Like she was already involved when she tried to buy me out of the picture!” He huffed.

 

The lady waved her hand. “That’s ridiculous. She would never do that.”

 

“Oh?” The man raised an eyebrow. “And the whole abortion thing?”

 

Overhearing the couple’s argument took Tadashi back to when he had found out about Vivienne cheating on Tadashi with another guy. They had argued a long time before they decided to end things. Before Hiro came into the picture.

 

Ginny finally stepped in. “Why don’t you two kids go back home, you have a few months before final preparations need to be made. You have a while to discus this.” She gave the couple a smile while walking them to the door.

 

The two continued to argue as they left the shop. The minute the door closed, Ginny sighed, relieved.

 

“Fifth couple this week arguing about in-laws.” She muttered to herself. “I get it! In-laws are terrible.” She pushed herself away from the door and over towards Tadashi and Hiro while Cass was looking at little onsies a few feet away. “Well, isn’t it prom daddy 26. Tadashi, right?” Ginny smiled. “Looks like you showed back up, and with quite a bit of luggage, I see.” She gave a little smile and looked into the carrier. “Aw, hi cutie.” She gave a tiny baby wave to Hiro, who just cooed in response.

 

Tadashi laughed. “Nice to see you again, Ginny.”

 

“Your crib is in the back. Your aunt has good taste.” She told them. “I’ll go get it.” She walked through the small door way behind the register.

 

“Oh, Tadashi!” Cass came up next to the young adult and held up a light blue dinosaur onesie. “Look how cute it is!”

 

“Its,” Tadashi trailed off for a second. “Tiny.” He finished his comment.

 

Cass laughed. “Well, it _is_ tiny.”

 

“What else do we need to get today?” He asked as he started toward the furniture portion of the shop.

 

“Other than some more clothes, we need to get more formula, a baby bathtub.” She started rattling off things that went right over Tadashi’s head.

 

“Now this crib,” Ginny began as she came back out of the back, tugging a large, flat box behind her. “Doesn’t come with a mattress.” She leaned the box against the side of the counter. “But, we have plenty of mattresses for your guys to choose from.”

 

“Okay,” Tadashi began to speak.

 

“AND PACIFIERS!” Cass’s voice suddenly rang through the store, startling both Ginny and Tadashi, but making Hiro coo in what seemed to be amusement.

 

“Long, long list.” Tadashi muttered to himself. “So, mattresses.” He picked back up on the conversation. “Is there a certain kind?”

 

“I say you should try a foam mattress, when my daughter was a baby, she seemed to despise the innerspring mattress with a fiery passion. But she loved the foam. And dare I say, slept like a baby.” Ginny chuckled to herself at the irony.

 

“Speaking of ‘sleeping like a baby’,” Tadashi began. He might as well ask if she had any ideas on what he could do with Hiro’s fussiness at night. “Do you have any tricks that aren’t in parenting books, to get a fussy baby like mine to sleep?”

 

She nodded. “My kid wasn’t a saint either. Do you have a mobile? Wow, that was a semi-stupid question considering your crib is in a box behind me. Get a mobile, it’ll entertain him for a while when he’s laying there. And a white noise machine. Those sounds can soothe him.” She started walking around the store, leading him around and pointing things out he should try if Hiro still won’t sleep in a few nights. “It may just be the fact he’s in a bassinet, I’ve read those tend to be uncomfortable for babies after a while.”

 

He nodded, looking down to Hiro, who was fixated on something in his vision. Tadashi looked behind him to where it seemed his son was staring. Lo and behold, a mobile hanging in the aisle had his full, undivided attention. “Well, I guess we’re getting that.” He chuckled.

 

Ginny helped Tadashi pick out a mattress and some bedding and drag it to the front of the store.

 

“I picked out a bouncy seat.” Cass told him as she came out of nowhere. She had a basket full of things, not including said bouncy seat. She pulled out a list she had evidently made of things they needed right away, and checked a few things off. “I think we have everything we need right now.”

 

“I’m really glad you made a list.” Her nephew told her. “I’ve never been so clueless before.”

 

“Wait until you start putting the crib together!” Ginny laughed, more toward herself than the two in front of her. “That’ll be an experience.”

 

Cass laughed. “Just more photos for the photo album.”

 

The store associate laughed as she began ringing their items up. “You know how to put one of these together right?” She asked as she grabbed the hand scanner to scan the crib in question. “That’s the fun part. Other than, you know, getting it into the car and dragging it through the house.”

 

“Not a damn clue. But my friends are coming over later to help out.” He told her, setting Hiro up on the counter to pull his wallet out of his back pocket.

 

“Well, that’s nice.” Ginny gave a sad smile. “I’m glad you have your friends. Mine had flaked on me the moment I told them I was pregnant, some twenty odd years ago.” She scanned another item. “They said some stupid things, hurtful names and that was that.”

 

Cass frowned. “That’s terrible. How could people that are supposed to be your friends say those kinds of things?”

 

Hiro, as if adding his two cents in, started getting fussy in his carrier.

 

Ginny just shrugged. “Guess they weren’t really my friends. True friends don’t think so low of you no matter how deep you’ve dug yourself into a hole.” She typed some number into the register when something wouldn’t scan. “I wish I had friends like yours back then, in my high school days.”

 

Tadashi started getting Hiro out of his carrier to bounce him. “You must have had someone there for you.”

 

Ginny nodded and smile when Hiro looked over at her. “Hi.” She gave another little wave to him.

 

Hiro cooed at the stranger’s attention.

 

“I had my grandpa.” She continued. “He took me in when my religious parents said I had sinned and kicked me out. Wild and crazy guy, but he had a caring heart like no one else.”

 

Tadashi sighed and shook his head. He had no idea what his parents would say if they knew they were grandparents.

 

“But, my parents never really liked me anyway.” She finished.

 

“How can parents do something like that to their own child?” Cass asked quietly. She knew how some parents would think getting pregnant and having a child while they were still children themselves would be a mistake, she had felt that way when Tadashi had told her Vivienne was pregnant. But to actually go so far as to kick their child out when they needed their parents and the guidance the most, was something she _didn’t_ understand.

 

“It’s a mystery.” Ginny told her. “They lack common sense. That’s kinda why I went into this business. I tried to figure out why my parents didn’t care, and I want to make sure that no kid goes through what I had to go through. Even though I can’t do much but offer a piece of advice, unless I want to risk losing my business.”

 

Tadashi started buckling Hiro back up. “Wait, you own this store?” He asked quietly, since he finally got Hiro to sleep a little.

 

“Yep. For the past eight years.” Ginny lowered her voice to a hushed tone when she saw the baby sleeping. “Your total is eighty seventy-five.” She printed the receipt and handed it to Cass while Tadashi handed her his debit card. “Do you need any help taking this out to your car?” She asked. “Or would you like it delivered?”

 

“We can take it out.” Cass told her with a smile and started taking the bags out.

 

“Thanks for the tips, Ginny.” Tadashi thanked her as he grabbed a few bags in his free hand.

 

“Any time, kid.” She gave him a smile. “What did you name the little cutie?”

 

Tadashi chuckled. “Hiro.”

 

 


	11. 11.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last of the lovely Adazula’s original chapters (that I went through and edited because I can’t write present tense to save my life). And like what they had originally said, that they were going to turn the story into more of oneshots, like little snippits of their lives raising Hiro, I might do the same; maybe not so much oneshots, but like little archs and stuff.  
> So leave some ideas if you’ve got any. Open to suggestions.

**11**.

 

Tadashi stood next to his aunt, who held little baby Hiro in her arms, while Hiro’s little hand was wrapped around his finger, as if sensing his father’s apprehension to leave for the day. “Are you sure I should b going back so soon?” The college freshman questioned. “My professors are completely okay with me taking the exams during their summer semesters.” He tried to back out of going back to school that day. “I’ve already talked to them about it, remember?”

 

Cass shook her head fondly. “You also talked to them about going in and taking the exams, staying on track, that way you don’t have to sit out a semester just to take the exams the second time the classes are offered.” She bounced baby Hiro a bit. “You have three exams today, and two tomorrow.” She continued, handing Hiro over to Tadashi for the last time before he left. “You’re going to be gone, six hours today, four tomorrow. Hiro’s in good hands, you know.” She gathered up her nephew’s school bag, laughing to herself at a ghost of a memory she just remembered. “You’re mother was the same way when she had to leave you for the first time.” She handed Tadashi his school bag.

 

He raised an eyebrow. “Really? How so?” He glanced down at Hiro who just blinked up at him.

 

“It was their anniversary, and they wanted to do something special, so I volunteered to watch you.” Cass began retelling the tale. “And your mother was on board with it, until it was time for her to walk out the door. I can’t begin to tell you how many times your mother had to go over every little thing on your bedtime routine, how many numbers she gave me to call in case something happened. Your dad finally got her out the door and into the car, and she called me saying that if you cried after I put you to bed, to go in and pick you up – completely ignoring the fact that your parents made a rule with each other that they’d let you cry yourself out but if you didn’t stop after five minutes they’d go in.”

 

“Should I be letting him do that?” Tadashi quickly asked while they were on the topic of letting a baby cry it’s self out.

 

She shrugged. “Its up to you, whether or not you think it’d be okay.” She reached for Hiro, and Tadashi childishly moved his arms, and subsequently Hiro, away from his aunt’s hands, and pouted. “Tadashi, you need to be leaving, your exams are starting in a while and you need to get going. Hiro is in good hands.” She gently told her separation-anxiety filled nephew.

 

“I know.” He mumbled, still pouting, but leaned down a bit to give Hiro a kiss on the forehead. “I know, I know.” He repeated. He gave a sigh as he handed his baby over to Cass.

 

“Step one is to hand over your son. Good job.” She smiled. “Step two is to leave the premises.” She made a motion to the door with her head.

 

Tadashi took a step towards the door but stopped and looked over to his aunt. “Do I have to?” He almost whined. He had had it all worked out with his professors and planned to take his exams during the summer term. Not today. Even though Hiro really was in good hands, and Tadashi knew this, he still didn’t want to leave his son. Hiro was literally only a month old and shouldn’t have to deal being without his dad yet.

 

Little Hiro sure had grown a lot in the last few weeks; he was a little bit bigger and a little more weight – he didn’t look like a tiny little thing anymore, he seemed more healthy; size wise. And his head of wild hair grew a little more wild and all over the place. That had made Cass mention something about ‘ _baby’s first haircut’_ , and then something about another thing to add to the baby book.

 

Tadashi didn’t feel ready to leave his little fussy baby just yet.

 

 

Cass nodded. “Say bye-bye to daddy, Hiro.” She spoke to her great nephew in baby talk. She gave Tadashi a little wave with Hiro’s little hand. “Say bye-bye.”

 

The new father couldn’t help but let out a little laugh. “Bye buddy.” He walked over and gave Hiro another little kiss on the forehead. “Bye Aunt Cass.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Do I really have to-”?

 

“I _will_ push you out the door.” Cass sternly told him.

 

He gave a sad look but ultimately took a step towards the door.

 

“Step two, part B.” Cass began without even looking at him. “Don’t call every five minutes. You have exams to take.” When she finished she looked over to him out of the corner of her eye.

 

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave a mock salute and one last look at his son before walking out the door, his separation anxiety levels rising with each step he took further away from his baby boy.

 

(---)

 

“Tadashi! You’re here!” Honey Lemon’s voice greeted him right as he pulled into a parking spot at the school. He looked at her for a moment then glanced over his shoulder at the way he came, wanting nothing more than to go back home and cuddle his son.

 

“I didn’t know you were coming today.” His friend continued, breaking his concentration.

 

“I’ll be honest, wasn’t planning on it.” He finally turned off the moped and started taking off his helmet. “Cass made me.” He told her.

 

“Made you?” She laughed.

 

He nodded. “She doesn’t want me skipping a semester just to take exams after the summer term. She wants me to stay on track. Threatened to push me out the door and everything.” He climbed off his means of transportation.

 

Honey laughed, trying to imagine little Cass pushing her foot and a half taller nephew, who was at least twice her weight, out the door. “That’s a funny picture I just imagined.” She commented. “How’s Hiro?”

 

A smile danced on Tadashi’s face. “Still as fussy as ever, but he’s getting bigger.” The two started walking into the building together. “Everyone in the café always wants to see him.”

 

“Oh, I bet. Hiro’s such a cutie!” She cooed over his baby.

 

“And he loves every minute of their attention.” He added.

 

His friend laughed. “Are you ready for the exams?”

 

“Yes and no.” He admitted as they turned a few corners toward their labs. “I could have studied a bit more, but might as well do the exams now.” He shrugged.

 

It was just small talk as they continued their trek through the robotics building toward their lab spaces.

 

“Hey guys!” Fred greeted when he saw the two enter the space.

 

“Hey.” The two replied before making their way to their respected areas.

 

“How’s it going my man?” Fred asked as he walked over to Tadashi and into the private lab. “How’s the little dude?”

 

“Hiro’s fine. He’s grown a little bit.” The Hamada answered as he looked around his lab space. Nothing had been moved since he was last in there, just a few days after Hiro was born – he had to get his books and stuff to work on the homework his teachers assigned him.

 

Tadashi glanced at the clock and took note his first exam was in twenty minutes. “I gotta get going.” He muttered to himself as he set about to gather what he’d need for his robotics exam.

 

“Prepared?” His laid back friend asked.

 

“As prepared as I could get.” Tadashi shoved a few pencils into his bag and pulled the books he wouldn’t need to look over that day out and placed them on his desk. “I wish I could have studied more though.”

 

“I totally understand.” His friend leaned against the doorframe. “Hey you know, when your exams are done and over with, you should take Hiro skydiving! When I was a baby, my parents did that with me!”

 

The first thought that trained through Tadashi’s mind was _‘that explains a lot’_ before it derailed into a _‘oh, hell no’_.

 

“Fred!” Gogo’s voice startled both men. “Don’t freak him out, it’s his first kid! Do you really think he want’s his son to lose a limb?”

 

“Or brain cells?” Wasabi added his two-cents in from across the open floor.

 

Their blond friend laughed. “Relax, all three of you. I was only kidding. They took me skydiving when I was three.”

 

Gogo snorted. “They took you sky diving when you were three and that’s why you only have three brain cells.” She joked.

 

“Excuse me!” Fred called after her when she started walking away. “I have _four_ cells, thank you very much.”

 

Leave it to Tadashi’s friends to ease his anxiety levels a little. “I’ll see you guys later.” He laughed as he walked out of his lab and towards his first college final exam.

 

When he walked into the robotics classroom, he was greeted by a lot of stares from his colleagues. And he couldn’t help but over hear some of the conversations that were about _him._

 

 _“Wow, he really is here.”_ He heard one of the girls off to the side of where he was seated whisper.

 

 _“I didn’t think he’d be back.”_ Someone said behind him.

 

 _“At least, not so soon.”_ Another sort-of defended.

 

 _Deep breaths, Tadashi._ He told himself. _Focus on your exams, and then you can go home to Hiro._

When the exam was handed out and the test started, his mind drew a blank on every answer, instead of trying to recall the correct response; he couldn’t help but think of Hiro. _Was Aunt Cass feeding him the right amount of formula? Does she know_ exactly _how Hiro likes to be swaddled when he’s fussy?_ _Probably not, since Hiro doesn’t like to be swaddled. Oh my goodness, what if she swaddled him?_ They were on a loop.

 

 _Focus Hamada!_ He glanced down at the paper. _Cass knows exactly how things are done, the system you and Hiro have etched out. She knows. Take your exam!_

 

He was one of the last ones done, only less than a handful of students left after him. He gathered up his bag and picked up his test to turn in to Callaghan.

 

“Welcome, back, mister Hamada.” Callaghan gave him a smile as he took the exam from his student’s hands. “I hope you were prepared enough for the test.”

 

Tadashi nodded. “I think so.”

 

“That’s good.” His professor quietly said. “And I saw that you got all the assignments done, just saw those a little while ago.” Callaghan had given him an extension on his projects and research papers, him knowing how challenging raising a newborn could be while trying to attend school. He evidently had done it himself years ago.

 

Tadashi nodded again.

 

“The same rules still apply to you as everyone else, even though you’re in a new realm now. I still expect you to finish your sophomore year project. On time.” While Callaghan was lenient on Tadashi’s research papers and assignments now, all the other rules still applied.

 

“Yes, sir.” Tadashi gave another nod.

 

If Callaghan were to have asked him if Tadashi had heard anything Callaghan told him ten, he would have said no. His mind was too caught up in how Hiro was coping with out him. This was their first time apart. Ever. _Was he taking his mid morning nap right now?_ He should have been. If not, then he’d be cranky and would want to sleep extra long in the afternoon and would be fussy later that night.

 

At least he was following his aunt’s number one rule. _Hiro is top priority to you. School is important too, but Hiro is more so._

 

So, if Tadashi failed all of his exams today, at least he could say he was concerned about Hiro. Worrying about Hiro. Thinking about Hiro.

 

His top priority.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO JUST APPLIED TO COLLEGE!!!!  
> This gal.  
> Me.  
> I did.  
> Online (of course, I’m a germaphobic introvert. People exhaust me), but I’m going for Web design (so I can freelance, and so I can finally make a kick-ass tumblr theme) and I want to minor in Internet Marketing (because I also am designing a blog and I need to know how to make people actually look at it.)
> 
> Oh, and updates may (or may not be) a little slower in November. Not only is my birthday at the end of the month, but it’s also NaNoWriMo (is that spelled right??) And for the last who knows how many years, I’ve told myself ‘I’ll do it this year! I’ll write the novel I’ve had mentally planned’ but it never happens.  
> Well.It.Will. Be.Written.This.Year.  
> I hope.


	12. 12.

**Daddy ‘Dashi**

**12**

 

“You’ve grown some, little Hiro.” The doctor Hiro had been seeing for his monthly checkups said.

 

Hiro didn’t do much but look at the doctor in front of him.

 

Doctor Fitz, a doctor specializing in children and babies, cocked an eyebrow at the little human before him. “Has he smiled yet?” He look from the three month old on the examining table to his father standing next to him.

 

Tadashi shook his head. “Should I be worried about that?”

 

Dr. Fitz straightened to his normal height, just shorter than Tadashi. “Well, I wouldn’t be too concerned _yet._ Every baby is different, some smile super early, some not.” He told the suddenly very concerned father before him. “When you bring him back in next month, if he’s not smiling by then, we should be a little concerned.”

 

“So, he’s fine?” Tadashi clarified, glancing at Hiro then back to the doctor.

 

“He’s developing just fine, he can lift his head and you had mentioned he was doing the little mini-pushups. He was even trying to swat at my stethoscope.” The doctor told Tadashi. “He’s developing just fine. Some babies don’t smile until after their three months.”

 

The college student gave his little son a smile and visibly relaxed.

 

(---)

 

“We’re back!” Tadashi greeted as he carried Hiro through the café, he would have rather gone through their house’s actual front door – but then he’d have café customers yelling at him to ‘Bring that child over so we can see his cute little face!’ So he went the easy route and entered through the café. He looked over and smiled ta his aunt who was wiping down a counter.

 

“Welcome back, you two.” She called over to them.

 

“There he is!” Mrs. Capaldi from down the street turned in her seat to look at Tadashi. “The cutie pootie from up the block.”

 

“And his cutie pootie of a father.” Mrs. Mastuda, the eighty-year-old woman with the fashion ‘sense’ of a twenty year old – wanting to show as much as she could, smiled. “You two get over here.”

 

The college student strolled over to their table.

 

“Pop a squat, son.” Mrs. Capaldi smiled.

 

Tadashi did as he was told and pulled over a chair to set Hiro’s carrier on – not wanting to be rude and placing it on a table people ate off of.

 

“He’s just darn adorable!” Mrs. Mastuda cooed at the baby.

 

Hiro looked her way and made an _almost_ waving gesture.

 

Mrs. Capaldi tucked a strand of greying blonde hair behind her ear, “He’s getting so big.” She gave a little wave to the three month old. “Has he given you an award winning baby smile yet?” She looked over at the baby’s father.

 

“No,” He sighed, leaning back a bit in the seat. “Not yet.”

 

“My daughter didn’t smile until she was almost five months. Never smiled again.” The eighty year old commented. “Always so serious.” She joked. “I bet you’ll have just the cutest darn smile!” She spoke to Hiro who looked between the three adults looking at him.

 

“Was always told that babies smile at three months.” The blonde looked at Tadashi. “But I personally have never met a baby that smiled at three months. Three and a half, four months, yeah. But not three.”

 

“I tried telling my kids that.” The provocatively dressed senior citizen added. “When their babies were reaching milestones, they freaked out when the babies didn’t follow the chart to a T.”

 

“I remember Shelia calling me crying when her baby wouldn’t sit up by himself and he was almost seven months old.” Mrs. Capaldi chuckled at the memory of her daughter flipping out about her baby.

 

“Hiro is just too darn cute.” Mrs. Mastuda commented again. “Can I hold him, dear?” She asked Tadashi.

 

The college student nodded and started getting Hiro out of his carrier before handing him over to the café regular.

 

“I could just cuddle you all day long!” She tapped Hiro’s little baby button nose when she had him securely in her arms.

 

The three adults continued to talk, the baby being switched between the two café customers’ arms; none of them noticing Cass taking pictures of them with her phone.

 

“These are so going into the baby book.” She muttered to one of the café employees.

 

(---)

 

“Alright, little guy, bath time.” Tadashi said as he walked back into his and Hiro’s room, the baby lying on his stomach in his little playpen. When Hiro heard his father’s voice, he gave a little push of his arms to hold his chest off the bottom of the playpen.

 

Tadashi chuckled as he watched Hiro. “Getting good at doing those mini-pushups.” He commented as he leant over the edge of the pen to pick up his baby. “After working out like that, you probably broke a sweat. Time to hit the showers, sport.” He stopped talking. “Yeah, sport doesn’t really fit you. Do you think?”

 

Hiro just blinked in response.

 

“Yeah. Didn’t think so.” Tadashi continued on as he walked into their bathroom, the baby bathtub – filled with warm water – situated over the sink, the cup, baby shampoo and towel lay out on the counter next to it, Hiro’s little pajamas folded on the towel shelf. He gently undressed his son, and after checking the water to make sure it was still a nice temperature for r Hiro, slowly placed the baby in the little tub, making sure to keep pone hand on Hiro the entire time.

 

Bath time was never a horrible situation with Hiro, the baby couldn’t be more indifferent to it, he was scared the first time – as most babies tend to be – but now he just laid there and let his father (or the odd occurrence of his great aunt) pamper him clean.

 

Then after bath time came a solid half hour of daddy-son-bonding-play-time (as if they didn’t do that enough during the day), Tadashi just liked to end both their days with a little playtime. Some days they’d play peek-a-boo, other days Tadashi would make Hiro’s little stuffed toys that were collecting dust on a shelf march along the floor next to the baby. Some times, if Cass weren’t around, Tadashi would hold Hiro to him and dance around the room while he _quietly_ sang a song. And unfortunately for Tadashi, that was Hiro’s favorite thing to do – if by going by the way Hiro didn’t seem to try to get out of Tadashi’s hands or look away from his father’s face was anything to go by.

 

And since Hiro had been such a good boy and not screaming his head off at the doctors, like Tadashi always fears he would, they were going to sing and dance for their playtime.

 

And tonight’s song? Knick-Knack Paddy-Whack.

 

He held Hiro to him as he gently swayed to his slightly off key singing, never bounding around to fast, or bouncing to hard.

 

“ _This old man,_ ” Swoop. _“He played four._ ” Turn. “ _He played Knick Knack on my door._ ” Double bounce. _“With a Knick Knack, Paddy Whack,”_ Swoop. _“Give a dog a bone,”_ A third bounce. “ _This old man came rolling home.”_ Turn.

 

Freeze. 

 

Four verses into the song, and Tadashi didn’t even realize the two males had an audience, an audience with a camera.

 

“Hi, hi, aunt Cass.” Tadashi stuttered as he stood stock still, much to Hiro’s displeasure, full of embarrassment. “H-how long have you been standing there?”

 

“Since the first dog bone.” She answered with a smile. “Gotta have home movies too.”

 

He shifted Hiro slightly, if only to pass off his sudden urge to fidget as adjusting his son. “Y-you videoed that?”

 

Cass out right laughed at that, and by the way she kept looking at the screen of her phone, she was still recording. “Wait until the ladies see this!”

 

Tadashi half-assed muffled an embarrassed noise into Hiro’s little wild mane of hair.

 

The three month old had been watching the conversation between his two caretakers, not knowing what they were talking about, but it held his attention. Then his dad made a noise Hiro had never heard before, and the little devil in a diaper thought it was the funniest thing.

 

So he laughed. It wasn’t a big laugh, but a tiny little high pitched bubble of a laugh.

 

His father instantly pulled away from him a little bit, just enough to look down at the baby’s face, as if he didn’t believe the sound he just heard.

 

The two ignored a very feminine _awe_ coming from the entryway of the room.

 

“Did you just laugh?” Tadashi quietly asked, as if Hiro would be able to respond to him. Hiro looked from Cass and her camera to his father’s beaming face. A little baby smile stretched across Hiro’s chubby cheeks. “Can you do that again?” He gave Hiro a little bounce.

 

Tadashi didn’t care if Hiro laughed again at that particular moment, his baby was smiling. Smiling at him, to him, for him, because of him. And Cass had gotten it all, plus some embarrassing moments, on camera.

 

After a minutes of just smiling at his son, Tadashi turned to his aunt. “I will give you a million dollars if you got that.”

 

“Get your check book out.” She told him. “And I also got _that_ , so don’t weasel your way out of that.” She joked.

 

Tadashi rolled his eyes and looked back to Hiro. “I can’t believe you smiled. _And_ you laughed.” He kissed Hiro’s forehead.

 

“You should embarrass yourself more often, in front of him.” Cass commented.

 

Brown eyes looked over at her. “They way you say that makes me sound like I embarrass myself on a daily basis.”

 

“You are you.” She pointed out.

 

Tadashi turned back to Hiro. “We can ignore her now.”

 

Hiro laughed again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. It’s been a while. I is sorry. So here. I hope little Hiro laughs will make up for it.


	13. 13.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally was going to just Google ‘is it safe for babies to watch fireworks’ but I somehow ended up reading articles about being a single dad and ’10 tips for being a great dad daily’ and a few other random articles. Sometimes I think I research a little too much.

**Daddy ‘Dashi**

**13**

 

“So it’s completely safe to let him watch fire works?” Tadashi stood in the doctor’s office with Hiro in his carrier, a tad earl y for the four-month check up, but Dr. Fitz was going to be out of town the date Hiro was originally scheduled to go in.

 

“It’s very safe.” Doctor Fitz nodded. “You said you watch them from your balcony?”

 

Tadashi nodded and looked down at Hiro when the baby started to fuss, already dead set on hating the doctor’s office so early in his little life. . “Shh.” He softly said. He gave his baby a little tickle; Hiro gave a small laugh or something of the relation to that sound, and tried to grab at Tadashi’s hand, missing his father by a mile. “Yeah, they shoot tem off a few blocks down the street.”

 

Dr. Fitz nodded again. “That would be completely safe. You’re not close enough to hurt his eyes; you’d probably have to be standing with in a few yards to hurt his eyes that way. The noise may or may not scare him.” He straightened the pieces of papers he unclipped form his clipboard. “Just take him inside if he seems to not like the noise.”

 

The young college student nodded.

 

“If you want to have him see the show, put him down for an extra nap before it starts. But if you don't want him to view it, he may very well just sleep through it all.” The doctor continued.

 

“I don’t know about him sleeping through it all. He wakes up a the slightest noise.” Tadashi joked.

 

Dr. Fitz chuckled. “My daughter was the exact way. Have you tried a white noise machine?”

 

“Not even sure what that is.” Wasn’t white noise machines used in all of those paranormal shows?

 

“It’s a little machine that plays this noise that kinda sounds like a window air conditioner, well, tome it does.” The doctor shrugged. “Anyway, it's a soothing noise that can help _anyone_ sleep. Blocks out normal every day noises pretty well.”

 

Tadashi looked down at the little charge of fussy energy. Hiro was looking back up at him, letting out little cries every few seconds to let every one in the room know of his distaste for the doctors. “We’ll have to give that a try, won’t we bud?”

 

(---)

 

Ginny stood behind the counter when Tadashi walked in, Hiro’s carrier hanging off his arm.

 

“Prom daddy 26.” She smiled. “And little Hiro.” She gave the baby a little wave when she walked around and into his view. “Aw, you’re getting so big!” She leant over to get a better look at the baby.

 

Hiro gave a little giggle of a baby laugh.

 

Her heart melted. “Aw, he’s laughing!”

 

Tadashi nodded. “Yep.”

 

Ginny straightened up. “So, what can I help you two with today?”

 

“White noise machine.” He began. “You had mentioned that white noise machines help babies sleep. And Hiro’s doctor said the same thing a little while ago.”

 

“Some one being fussy at night?” she gave a little knowing look to the baby swaddled in the carrier. “We have a number of them, the bigger they are, the fancier – which I don’t really understand; you can’t fancify a noise. Anyway,” She began walking the duo father down a few aisles to the mobiles and other sleeping aid section. “I honestly just say to buy the cheapest one, but what ever you think would be best. They all make the same noise, same effect.” She shrugged. She went to say something else but the bell above the front door sounded through the air. She let out a sigh. “I’ll be right back.”

 

Tadashi nodded absently as he looked over the surprising amount of white noise machines. “Alright bud, which one do we want?” He asked his little baby. “Oh, I see orange.” Hiro had been leaning toward his things that were orange in color for the past month – his little stuffed bunny that always sat next to his crib on his dresser, he seemed to prefer the orange bedding for his crib, not to mention Tadashi’s orange sweat shirt he tended to wear at night. He could never get Hiro to let go of him when he wore that. “How’s this one?” The young adult picked up the little box with an orange colored white noise machine picture. “Shaped like a rocket and everything.” He chuckled.

 

Hiro cooed at nothing in particular.

But Tadashi took it as ‘awesome, let’s get it!’

 

The two Hamadas ended up getting a few more items than they anticipated. Mostly because Hiro seemed to have eagle eyes and started fussing until Tadashi walked over to a little blanket with an orange car on it. The little thing was even gravitating to things with orange on them that weren’t his own! Queue Tadashi picking that little swaddling blanket up, and then picking up a few new pieces of clothing that sorta went with it (he blames his aunt for that sudden quirk of having to match an outfit with whatever swaddling blanket the baby happened to be wrapped in.)

 

And after Ginny laughing at the two for a few minutes, they were headed home.

 

“Tadashi!”

 

Well, they _were_ headed home.

 

The college student turned to his name to see Honey and Gogo walking over to them.

 

“Aw, hi Hiro!” Honey smiled at the baby in the carrier, who kept eyeing the bag with his new blanket. Little brown eyes looked up to see she was wearing orange.

 

He fussed a bit.

 

“Uh, oh.” Tadashi laughed as they kept walking towards the café.

 

Gogo snorted. “Honey, are you scaring the poor thing?”

 

“I didn’t mean to!” The tall blonde jumped with a sad expression on her face.

 

The baby’s father shook his head. “He has a fixation on orange things right now.”

 

Honey looked down at her orange vest. “Oh, haha.” She gave a little smile to the Baby, a mini wave added to it a second later.

 

“What are you guys doing?” He changed the subject, and spoke more towards Gogo, since Honey was too busy making little funny faces at Hiro.

 

The shorter female motioned to Honey. “She was bored and wanted to get out of the apartment. And I didn’t have anything else to do, so we went to lunch.” She shrugged. “Tried that new place over on, uh, West fifth or whatever that road is.”

 

“Oh, that Thai place?”

 

“Yeah, the name is escaping me –“

 

“Sweet Mango.” Honey piped in, her hand being held in a ‘tight’ grip in Hiro’s.

 

“Yeah, that.” Gogo finished.

 

“Going off your reaction, it wasn’t as good as you thought it would be?” He asked.

 

Gogo made a so-so motion with her hand. “It was okay, they probably shouldn't brag about anything any time soon, but it has some potential.”

 

The four crossed the street and tried to sneak into the building the back way, but one of the regulars caught them.

 

“Tadashi Hamada, you bring that cute little tushie in here right now!” He recognized Mrs. Capaldi voice.

 

“So close.” He whispered to himself.

 

“And your little baby too!” Mrs. Mastuda, the normal partner in crime, called out.

 

Honey and Gogo cracked up.

 

“Better hurry Tadashi, wouldn’t want to keep them waiting.” He heard Honey giggle from behind him.

 

“Oh so close.”

 

“Get your ‘cute little tushie’ in there!” Gogo laughed harder.

 

“I need new friends.” Tadashi said louder than his previous comments as he walked through the back of the café over to the ladies’ table.

 

“Are you trying to sneak from us?” Mrs. Capaldi laughed. She pulled out a chair for Tadashi to set Hiro’s carrier on.

 

“No, I swear, just forgot to come through the front door.” He half lied. He had been walking with Honey and Gogo; it didn’t really cross his mind to walk through the café until they were already at the back.

 

“So this is little Hiro?” An elderly man sitting next to Mrs. Capaldi asked. It took Tadashi a second to remember he was her husband, who seemed to do a lot of traveling for his age.

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Isn’t he just the cutest little thing?” The dyed blonde woman asked.

 

“And Hiro is just as cute!” Mrs. Mastuda added in, for the second time.

 

Tadashi blushed as he heard Hone and Gogo laugh again from behind the counter, and he swore Cass chuckled too.

 

Mr. Capaldi found it just as funny as his friends. “Don’t harass the poor boy.”

 

“Are you guys gonna watch the fireworks?” Mrs. Mastuda asked as she ‘booped’ Hiro’s little nose.

 

The baby let out a little giggle.

 

“Planning on it.” Tadashi nodded. “Not entirely sure about it yet. I don’t know how he’s gonna take the noise and stuff.”

 

The three elderly citizens nodded.

 

“Nancy wouldn’t watch the fireworks until she was four.” The only other adult male in the group commented.

 

His wife nodded. “Cried and screamed through the entire thing, year after year, even if she was inside.”

 

“That’s what I’m afraid is going to happen.” The college student admitted. He looked over a Hiro who was holding on to Mrs. Mastuda’s finger. He leant down and unsnapped the baby from the seat so she could hold him.

 

“Aw, you’re not going to do that, are you Hiro?” She asked once the baby was safely in her arms.

 

“Although,” Mrs. Capaldi began, a small smirk appearing on her face. “If he does, you can always sing him Paddy Whack.”

 

Tadashi’s hands instantly flew to his suddenly red face before turning towards his aunt. “You showed them the video?”

 

It seemed like the _entire café_ laughed then.

 

Cass beamed from behind the register. “I showed _everyone the video.”_

 

“What video?” Honey piped up.

 

“No!”

 

“I’ll go get it!” Cass abandoned her station and ran upstairs.

 

“No! Don’t get it!” He threw his arms up. “I’m gonna have to move and change my name.”

 

“Oh do be so dramatic, Hamada.” Gogo snorted as she walked over to them.

 

“Yeah, you have a lovely little singing voice.” Mrs. Mastuda told him as she bounced Hiro in her arms.

 

Honey rushed over. “You’re singing in this video?”

 

Mr. Capaldi shook his head. “Poor boy.” He leaned back. “You’re never gonna be able to live this down.

 

“No.” Tadashi shook his head. “No I won’t be.”

 

“Can’t forget the little dance thing you do.” The other lady pointed out.

 

Gogo about chocked on her gum. “I really want to see this video!”

 

“No, no you don’t.” Tadashi tried. “Really, honestly.”

 

“Here it is!” Cass appeared again.

 

“Cass, can you plug it into the TV again?” Mrs. Capaldi called over to the café owner.

 

“I sure can.”

 

“I regret installing that TV.” Tadashi commented to himself. “Hiro, we gotta move.” He told the baby in the café regular’s arms.

 

“Tadashi, honey, you can move if you want, but you’re not allowed to take this little baby with you.” Mrs. Capaldi ran a finger through Hiro’s little amount of hair.

 

“Aw,” Gogo began. “But what about Tadashi’s tushie?” She gave him a playful smack on the ass.

 

Tadashi gave her a betrayed look.

 

“Oh, yeah. You can’t take that with you either.” Mrs. Mastuda told him. “You might as well just stay here.”

 

A minute later had the whole café watching the video of Hiro’s first laugh, Tadashi’s singing and dancing included.

 

“I’m trying to figure out how to put it up on Facebook.” Cass said after it was over.

 

Tadashi, redder than a tomato, shook his head. “No need for that!”

 

Honey and Gogo were laughing so hard; they had to pull up chairs.

 

“I can help you with that, Aunt Cass!” The shorter college female stated.

 

“No need for _that!_ ” Tadashi repeated and emphasized.

 

And just like that, the entire café laughing started anew.

 

(---)

 

The next day found the entire gang over, helping out with the café for the fourth of July, and getting everything set up for the fireworks viewing later.

 

“So after you import it,” Gogo was teaching Cass how to import videos from the video camera she had used, she never knew how to import from the SD card to the computer. “You just go on Facebook and import it onto there like you’re doing a picture.”

 

“So simple, and here I was making it all confusing.” Cass nodded.

 

“And Tadashi wouldn’t show you?”

 

“He thought if he didn’t show me, there was no way for it to get onto the Internet.” The aunt smiled.

 

“Oh, there’s always a way.” Gogo gave a semi-evil laugh.

 

“So, Hiro’s first laugh was a laugh at your expense?” Fred cracked up. The second the two other men of their little group of friends arrived, Cass wasted _no_ time showing them the video.

 

Tadashi nodded, unenthusiastically, as him and Wasabi carried a folding table up stairs to their balcony off the living room. “Unfortunately.”

 

Wasabi was trying to hold his laughter in. “One day, you’ll like that video.”

 

“That day is not today, and I highly doubt it’ll be anytime in the near future that I’ll find that video funny.” The young father responded as they tilted the table. The two slowly man-handled it through the narrow doorway, Fred in tow with the table cloth – a festively decorated one to go with the fireworks they were going to watch – and a few chairs tucked under his arm.

 

“It’s a cute video though, dude,” Fred told him, “as un-masculine as it was,”

 

Tadashi rolled his eyes. “Not everything has to be a show of ‘manliness’.”

 

Wasabi finally laughed. “Fred, you’re one to talk about ‘un-masculine’.”

 

“I’ll have you know, superheroes and comic books are totally masculine.”

 

Tadashi tuned them out at he and Wasabi unfolded the legs of the table, he pulled the tablecloth from Fred’s hands and laid it on top of the plastic surface. “You two wanna know what’s ‘totally un-masculine’? This conversation.” He pulled the end of the tablecloth tight. “If you have to have a discussion about what’s manly and what’s not, then it’s obviously not.” He moved to the other side of the table, repeating the process of smoothing out the wrinkles.

 

“Says the dude fixing a table cloth.” The blond male raised an eyebrow.

 

“And I’m done with this conversation.” Tadashi muttered. “And you two.” He gave a small laugh as he walked back inside.

 

“Table set up?” Cass asked when she saw her nephew walk in.

 

“AS manly as I could get it.” He commented absently as he walked over to Honey who was holding Hiro.

 

“What?” Cass questioned.

 

“Yeah, it’s set up.” He told his aunt. “Has Hiro gotten fussy?” He asked Honey.

 

“Nope.” She shook her head, he hair bouncing in the pony-tail she haphazardly pulled it into, lesson from the last time she held Hiro – the baby had the sudden need to grab hold of her hair.

 

The topic of their discussion turned his tiny head to look at his father, letting out a little coo when he caught his father’s matching eyes. But he made no move to get out of Honey’s hold; of course, his new blanket he’d gotten yesterday may have something to do with that.

 

“That’s good. Should probably put him down for a nap soon though.” He quietly said, hoping Hiro didn’t hear; the baby, as of late, didn’t like taking naps.

 

“I hope the fireworks don’t scare him tonight.” Aunt Cass spoke up from the kitchen.

 

“Is it even safe for a baby to watch Fireworks?” Wasabi joined the conversation when he and Fred walked back into the house.

 

The college age father nodded. “His doctor said it’s perfectly safe, Google says it’s perfectly safe, Holidays with Baby says it’s perfectly safe. As long as we’re not strapping him to a firework, it’s safe.”

 

“Can we strap Fred to a firework?” Gogo asked with a pop of her gum.

 

“I want to fly!” Fred jumped up and down.

 

“You screaming like a girl wouldn’t be manly.” Wasabi remarked.

 

Tadashi rolled his brown eyes. “It’s been five minutes and that conversation _still_ isn’t’ over?”

 

“It’ll never be over.” The blond male stated.

 

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” The Hamada male muttered to himself. “Aunt Cass, need any more help?” He asked as he walked into the kitchen.

 

“Yeah, actually. I have to go downstairs s and check on the workers down there, and this cake needs to be taken out in a few minutes.” She opened the oven door to peek in on the red, white, and blue battered cake. She put a toothpick in the middle and pulled it back out a second later, a little bit of batter sticking to it. “Just a few more minutes.”

 

“Are you implying you want me to check on everyone downstairs, or keep an eye on the cake?” He raised an eyebrow at his slightly scattered brained aunt.

 

“Keep an eye on the cake.” She closed the oven door and turned to face him. “Don’t burn it.”

 

He laughed. “I wont. I don't’ burn cakes.”

 

“Ohh, right, it’s pretzels you burn.” She gave his arm a tap as she passed him.

 

“How do you burn a pretzel?” Wasabi asked as he walked in.

 

Tadashi leaned against the counter. “I was studying for mid-terms my freshmen year of high-school and I was so tired that I misread the directions on a microwavable pretzel. I read the _oven_ instructions instead of the microwave, and ended up heating it up for five minutes.”

 

“Way to go.” The bigger built man sarcastically commented.

 

“Sometimes, late at night, you can still smell the burnt dough.”

 

Wasabi snorted.

 

“Burning pretzels isn’t manly.” Fred called from across the house.

 

“So, Aunt Cass told me not to burn her cake, do you think she’d mind if I tossed Fred into the oven with it?” Tadashi asked.

 

His friend shrugged. “As long as he doesn’t mess up her cake, I don’ think she’d mind.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys! I literally have been working on this one since November 4th……. It’s January. JANUARY.  
> This was meant to be all one chapter – including the fireworks for the Fourth, but uh, somehow, I managed to reach over 3000 words (not including the authors notes). So the actual festivities should be in the next chapter.  
> And the pretzel story. Yeah. Based on true events. My brother had a stupid moment (a number of years ago) and he cooked a pretzel in the microwave but followed the OVEN instructions. And to. This. Day. If someone burns something, we all say ‘Is Charlie cooking a pretzel again?’ Yeah, he hates that we say that.  
> I’m also so sorry that I’ve not updated a story in a while – I’ve been overwhelmed by stress and my own stupidity.


	14. 14.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no words.
> 
> Happy Fourth of July, and if you’re not american, happy Monday!
> 
> (please note: up until Friday, I did not plan to post this this weekend.)

 

 

**Daddy ‘Dashi**

 

**14**

 

**Fourth of July Pt. 2**

  
  
  
  
  


The fireworks weren't’ supposed to start for a handful of hours, after the sun went down and the sky only held one color. They had plenty of time to close up the café, and get things ready for their little get together that night. 

 

Tadashi’s friends came early that afternoon to help them set up the table and chairs for everyone. They were going to have almost fifteen people on their balcony, Tadashi was almost sure some fire code was being broken with that number, but hey, he wasn’t a fireman.

 

Cass was running in between the living space’s kitchen and the café’s, attempting to do too many things at once. 

 

“Aunt Cass.” Tadashi stopped her after her seventh trip up the stairs. “What can I help with?” He asked as he leant against the counter. 

 

“We can all help.” Honey added in from across the room, Hiro still swaddled in her arms. 

 

“Can someone other than Tadashi icing this cake for me?” Cass asked quietly. 

 

Wasabi gave a little shrug. “I can do that for you.” 

 

“Why someone other than Tadashi?” Gogo gave a chuckle, hoping a little funny story would be behind it. 

 

Cass pushed her nephew away from the kitchen. “He’s got no self control when it comes to cakes.” She pointed him towards the living room, just to keep him away from the cake. “He’ll either eat the cake or the icing. One or the other.” 

 

“To make up for the fact that I  _ can’t _ decorate a cake.” He guiltily smiled. 

 

Gogo snorted. “Aunt Cass, do you need help downstairs?” Everyone could tell the café owner seemed to be a tad more stressed than usual. 

 

Cass looked over at her. “If you don’t mind.” She gave a smile. “Everyone wants everything, and everything boxed up and what not.” 

 

The two women made their way back down the stairs to the café. 

 

“I think your son’s hungry.” Honey spoke up and started her way over to the college father. 

 

“Or tired.” Tadashi reached over. To get his son. Honey passed the baby over to him and gave a smile at the two. 

 

Hiro gave a little cry. 

 

“You’re right.” Tadashi nodded and weaved his way between furniture to get back into the kitchen. 

 

“I’m watching you.” Wasabi greeted the father when he walked in, only glancing over at him for a second, then going back to mixing the frosting together. 

 

Tadashi laughed. “I gotta use the sink, I swear I’m not going to eat anything.” 

 

Wasabi shook his head as he heard Tadashi open the fridge and move some things around. “The cake’s in there you know.”

 

“Oh yeah, I know.” 

 

“Tadashi.” Cass’s voice suddenly rang out. 

 

“I’m getting Hiro’s bottle.” He countered, elbow deep in the 'fridge. He couldn’t hide the fact that her voice startled him, him flinching and hitting his arm on the side of the 'fridge was proof of that. 

 

“I can see that, I just wanted to scare you.” Cass laughed. 

 

Hiro cave a tiny laugh. 

 

And Honey awed from the living room. 

 

Brown eyes gave a small roll as he rearranged some of the top shelf to move some of Hiro’s bottles over to where they were more easily reached. 

 

“Always laughing at my expense.” The college father grumbled from the depths of the fridge. 

 

“Keep an eye on your father, Hiro.” Cass warned as she checked on Wasabi and the icing. “Here’s the tips and bag.” She sat them down and gave the man’s shoulder a squeeze. “Thanks for your help dear.” Cass told him.  

 

“It’s no problem, Aunt Cass.” He replied as he reached for a bag. “Used to help my aunt make cakes all the time. It’s relaxing.” 

 

“And fattening.” Tadashi butted in as he ran the bottle under warm water. 

 

“It would be even more fattening if you actually got the best part on the cake.” His aunt gave him a look. 

 

“Can’t hear you, feeding my baby.” He motioned to the bottle and Hiro before walking back out of the kitchen. 

 

Cass rolled her eyes in an affectionate manner. “I have to live with that.” 

 

Wasabi chuckled. 

 

(---)

 

“There you are!” Too, too familiar voices rang through the air. Tadashi gave an inaudible sigh.

 

Honey instantly laughed, recognizing the voices as well. 

 

Tadashi stood up, being the gentleman that he is, and greeted the three people that walked upstairs. “Hello, Mrs. Matsuda, Mrs. Capaldi.” 

 

“Gogo said you and you’re cute tushie were up here.” Mrs. Matsuda laughed as she was lead into the living room, Mrs. Capaldi in tow. 

 

Tadashi felt his face redden. 

 

“That’s manly.” Fred commented. Tadashi shot him a glare from across the room. 

 

“Oh, hi Honey!” Mrs. Capaldi took a seat on the couch next to the blonde. “How are you dear?” The two started a quiet conversation. 

 

“Mr. C, can I get you something to drink?” Tadashi asked once the elder male came up. 

 

“Nah, I don’t need anything, kid.” The old man smiled. “Thanks for inviting us over tonight.” He patted Tadashi’s arm as he passed. “Do you kids need any help with anything?” 

 

“You just sit your butt down, mister.” Cass hollered from the bottom of the stairs. 

 

The elder man laughed and shook his head as he walked into the living room. 

 

“Speaking of kids, Tadashi where is that precious little baby of yours?” Mrs. Matsuda asked from the other side of Honey. 

 

Tadashi leaned against the door frame. “He’s taking a nap.” 

 

“He’s such a cutie patootie.” Mrs. Capaldi commented. 

 

The conversations went on like that for a while before Tadashi went and helped his aunt bring up some of the food she had made down in the cafe kitchen. 

 

“Here.” She handed her nephew a bowl of pasta salad. “And here.” She placed a pan of cooled chicken in his free arm. “Put those on the warmer.” She grabbed a few plate of other sides and shooed him up stairs.  

 

“I hope you guys are hungry!” Aunt Cass said as the two reached the top of the stairs. “Everybody outisde.” 

 

Mr. Capaldi reached out for Cass. “Here, let me take those.”  He didnt take no for an answer adn grabbed one of the macaroni dishes from Cass’s hands. 

 

“You’re too helpful.” She scolded. 

 

Tadashi stepped outside and placed the dishes where his aunt had told him too, then slipped back inside to grab the baby monitor off the kitchen counter and clip it onto his pocket. 

 

“It should be starting at about nine.” He heard Cass say. 

 

“That’s my bed time.” Mrs. Matsuda laughed. 

 

Tadashi nodded. “Mine too.” He added as he grabbed a drink out of the cooler Wasabi had let them borrow before heading to a free chair at the table they had set up earlier. 

 

Mr. Capaldi chuckled. “You’re getting old kid.” 

 

“He goes to bed earleir than me.” His aunt msiled. 

 

“I get up earleir than the sun.” Tadashi mumbled before he took a sip of his soda. The baby monitor started making noises then. “And there’s the reason.” He stood up and makde his way back into the house to get Hiro. 

 

“Hey there little sleepy monster.” He booped his son’s nose when he leant over the crib. “You’ve got some people downstairs who want to see you.” 

 

Little Hiro let out a little bubble of a laugh as his father picked him up. 

 

“Now, behave yourself, don’t cause trouble, and stay in school.” Tadashi joked and wagged a finger towards Hiro, who latched onto it.  “I’ll take that as an ‘okay’.” 

 

~*~

 

Hiro spent the better part of an hour and a half being passed between practically everyone, completely loving and absorbing all the attention as if this whole holiday was meant for him. He laughed at just about anything, because apparently, everything is funny in his little baby mind. 

 

Tadashi just hoped that attitude stuck when the fireworks started. 

 

The show, while itself was spectacular, with Hiro, it started off rocky. The first few cracks of flashy lights, startled the baby - not enough to make him cry, but enough to have him let out a few whimpers of discontentment; Tadashi even started making his way toward the door. 

 

But then the city started firing off the fireworks in a constant stream of sounds and bright lights, and Hiro was suddenly the happiest baby. His little brown eyes, wide as the moon, tried to follow along with all the smoke trails and exploding rockets. 

 

“I think he likes them.” Mr. Capaldi came up next to the two Hamadas. 

 

Tadashi nodded and kissed the top of Hiro’s head as they all watched the fireworks. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that it took me so blasted long. I got busy and overwhelmed with life for a while, then when things calmed down, I couldn't find my motivation. And I'm also sorry I rushed this chapter. I had about half of it written before I stopped, and when I started typing it up again I forgot where this chapter was headed.


	15. 15.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been so, so long.
> 
> So long, in fact, that I had to go back and re-read what I wrote, and while I was reading that and writing this, I realized how much my writing has changed.
> 
> And I’m sorry it’s been so damn long! Work. Life. Same old shit (technically not really, Work: I started my own freelance writing business – hence the improvement with my writing – and isn’t this just a ball! Partial sarcasm because it’s tough as shit! Life: is well, life and life had me couch hopping for a while so. Yeah.) Same old shit.
> 
> Here we go.
> 
> (Also, I was going back through what I had already posted – which by the way, made me cringe something awful! – and realized I have seriously messed up the timeline. A major fubar on my part, sorry about that! I don’t know if I’ll go back and fix it or not (or just plain ol’ rewrite it eventually), but I’m super sorry about that! I’ll try to be more consistent!)
> 
>  
> 
>  

 

 

_Chapter Fifteen_

It was the last week of August, the air hot and sticky on the back of necks of anyone who was puttering around outside. The sun was beating down onto rooftops and sidewalks; if you were looking in the distance, the heat gave the mirage of water on the ground.

Aunt Cass stepped off the side porch steps, the entryway into the living portion of the building, and slipped on her sunglasses. “Now, are you _sure_ you’re going to be okay by yourself for a week?” She asked her nephew as he trailed after her, her two bags in his hands, a baby monitor strapped to his belt.

He nodded with a laugh. “ I _can_ take care of things, you know.” He stepped around her when she stopped moving.

His aunt rolled her eyes and watched him walk in front of her truck parked along the side of the road and wait for a passing car to move along so he could get into the passenger side. “Yes, I know.” She pulled her purse around the front of her body, double-checking for things necessary for her little trip. “But, the last time you were alone for this long, you _didn’t_ have little Hiro to take care of.”

Tadashi was reaching for the passenger door handle when she said that; he froze and looked at her, taking a few seconds to think back, “has it really been _that_ long?” He thought back, realization crawled on his face when it sunk in that it had indeed been _that_ long.

Cass nodded, not looking up and still rummaging through her bag. “Tickets, check; ID, check; phone, charger, check.” She said aloud, hoping that if she was forgetting something, Tadashi would remember.

“Plane ticket? Train pass?” He called from inside the truck, placing her bags behind the seat securely.

“I have the plane ticket.” She riffled through her pocket book, looking for a small, orang colored paper card. “Train pass, check.” She pulled it out from behind a coffee rewards card and stuck it behind her ID. She wasn’t planning on taking a train, but you never know.

“Well,” he closed the passenger door and made his way back around, “time for you to leave.” He jokingly shuffled her aloud the sidewalk down to her truck. “Toodle-loo, goodbye, have fun, don’t talk to strangers, never go anywhere alone.” He gave the stereotypical spiel about traveling. “Be nice, don’t eat yellow snow.”

Cass gave a snort. “Vegas doesn’t have snow.”

“Then definitely _don’t_ eat it.” He shrugged and opened her car door for her. “Don’t pet stray dogs, don’t do drugs, stay in school, blah, blah, blah.” He leant against the door. “Seriously, we’ll be fine. We’re just gonna party all week long, it may get a little out of hand, cops may come, hopefully they’ll bring pizza.” He joked.

Cass gave him a look.

“Fine,” he relented with a sigh, “I’ll tell Fred not to bring the keg.” He motioned to the driver’s seat. “Honestly, you worry too much, Aunt Cass. We’re going to be fine, and you’re going to be late.”

She sighed. “ I know.” She reached up and gave him a hug.

“Are you sure you want to leave your truck at the airport? I can drive you and pick you up when you get back.” He asked as he hugged her back.

“My flight lands in the middle of the night, Hiro needs his sleep, and _not_ get his schedule thrown off. _Again_.” She raised an eyebrow at her nephew.

He gave her an exasperated look. “I mess up his sleep _one time_! And you don’t let me live it down!” He dramatically threw his arms in the air. “This is the burnt pretzel all over again!”

Cass laughed and climbed into the driver’s seat. “Tadashi, the child didn’t sleep for a week.” She put the key in the ignition and turned it, rolling the window down the second the car sputtered to life. When it was down, she closed the door. “And neither did we.”

He ran a hand down the side of his face, absentmindedly remembering he had to shave later. “And I need my beauty sleep.”

His aunt nodded, “you’re like the swamp monster without it.”

He stood there for a solid minute, silent, and giving his aunt a look of mock shock. “That was uncalled for!” He took a step back from her truck. “But seriously, you’re going to be late, and we’re going to be just fine. Have a great time, Aunt Cass.”

“I’ll see you two when I get back. The house better still be in one piece! And standing!” She pulled out onto the road and the truck rumbled away.

 

Tadashi walked into the living room, Hiro still taking a nap upstairs, and flopped onto the couch, wincing when he landed on the baby monitor just right and the small electronic spearing into his hipbone. He reached his down to pull the device off his belt, setting the monitor on the coffee table with a dull _clunk_ as the plastic made contact with the polished wooden surface.

He sat there quietly for a moment, just listening to the breathing of the sleeping baby before he grabbed the TV remote and flipped the television on, absent-mindedly flipping on one of his DVRed shows. He let his mind go blank as he blindly watched the screen, letting himself feel completely bored before he started researching an essay he had due in a week before the summer session exams.

He was only thirty minutes into the hour-long TV thriller when Hiro started waking up. Tadashi smiled at the baby monitor in front of him as he listened to Hiro’s little coos as he woke up, words being spoken in a language only Hiro knew. It didn’t take but a minute or so before the baby let his father know he wanted attention.

The college father peeled himself off the couch and climbed the stairs to their room, the cries of his son getting louder and louder with each step. “I’m coming, buddy, I’m coming.” He gently called out to the baby crying in his crib on the other side of the room. As he got closer, Tadashi furrowed his eyebrows, not recognizing the new, shrill cry his seven-month son was now emitting, the noise ringing through the air as sharp as a steak knife through butter. “’Ro, what’s wrong?” He reached forward, down into the crib and gently pulled his son up and out. “Hey, hey, hey, stop the tears, what’s wrong?”

Tadashi checked everything to see what was the matter; Hiro didn’t need a changing, he wasn’t thirsty, he wasn’t hungry, and he wouldn’t smile at any of the toys his father held our nor would the baby giggle at the funny faces Tadashi was making.

“Of all the days for Aunt Cass to leave.” Tadashi grumbled to himself. He pulled Hiro closer to his chest as he headed back downstairs to his computer, figuring Google would know what to do. And if Google didn’t work out, Mrs. Capaldi was only one phone call away; Mrs. Mastuda was a last resort call.

“Alright, buddy,” The almost twenty year old pulled out the dining room chair so he and Hiro could sit in front of Tadashi’s laptop. He sat the baby on his lap, caging the crying seven month old with his arms and woke up the computer. The bright screen caught Hiro’s attention for a moment; slowly stopping the small whines and cried.

The college student’s fingers skated across the keys in a flash of movement, not even glancing at the keyboard. “Okay, Google, why is my baby crying?” Article upon article of things popped up. ‘12 Reasons Your Baby is Crying and How to Soothe Them _’_ caught his attention. _Hungry, tired, thirsty, diaper change, wants to be held_ all the things Tadashi had already checked. _Not feeling well_. Tadashi slowly moved his arm to turn Hiro to face him. “Feeling okay, buddy?” He asked like he expected an answer, but all he got was Hiro reaching for the sleeve of Tadashi’s orange sweatshirt and sticking it in his mouth. “Glad I just washed this.” He wrapped his arm around his baby, bouncing his leg a little in a gentle motion, and allowed Hiro to keep the sleeve in his tiny mouth. The freshman kept scrolling down the page.

_Teething pain._

He stopped bouncing his leg as he skimmed over the words. Swiftly, he pulled his baby back up to his chest and stood up, walking Hiro into the living room and setting him in his little playpen that Tadashi always referred to as “baby jail” then scampered into the kitchen to wash his hands.

Walking back out, he smiled at Hiro. “Here, can I see something?” He lifted the baby back out of the pen and booped Hiro’s tiny nose. “Open?” Tadashi tapped a chubby baby chin. “Please?” He asked when Hiro tried to move his little face away. He gave a small tickle to Hiro’s side, making a small little laugh bubble out of the child. While Tadashi had the window of opportunity, he gently stuck his finger into Hiro’s mouth, carefully feeling the front of the baby’s gums. Tadashi let out a small chuckle when his finger ran over a teeny tiny little bump. “’Ro, you’re getting your first tooth!” He went to pull his hand out of Hiro’s mouth, but the baby followed his movements, bring a tiny fist to hold onto the orange sleeve of his father’s sweatshirt.

The tiny human tried his best to gnaw on his father’s finger, but not managing to do any sort of damage.

“Does that make it feel better?” Tadashi asked in a soft voice as he gently bounced himself in place absentmindedly. “Hmm?”

He was rewarded with a little baby giggle around his soaked with baby drool finger.

“Guess it’s time we invested in some teething rings, huh?” Brown eyes lit up as they watched Hiro try to chew the pain away. “No time to waste, bud.” He hoisted the tiny body up higher against his own and scurried upstairs, intending to get them both dressed and out the door to a store to get the toys they needed.

 

“Hey, Ginny.” Tadashi greeted as they walked into the air-conditioned store, getting out of the hot, humid California air.

“Two of my favorite customers!” Ginny grinned from behind the counter, a pen poised in her hand. “Little Hiro and Prom Daddy Number 26!” She brushed her short, sandy blonde bangs out of her green eyes. “How are we today.”

“We are teething, apparently.” Tadashi stepped further into the store, heading off in the direction of the aisle that was specifically for teething essentials.

“He’s growing up.” He heard Ginny call out; she was still behind the counter writing something on a notepad.

“Yeah, he can stop now.” He replied, crouching down to look at the generic teething rings. “You don’t need an expensive one, do you?” He raised an eyebrow as he looked between a ‘name brand’ teething ring that was fifteen dollars and a generic pack of four for five. “You’d get more with this pack.” He lifted the packaged together group of clear teething rings. “There’s one for every room you’re in.” He stuck the pack of rings under his arm and stood up, continuing on down the aisle.

“A frozen wash cloth can help, too.” Ginny commented, standing at the end of the aisle. “Works even better if you soak it in chamomile tea first.”

Tadashi glanced over at her. “Really?”

She nodded. “And, it could help him sleep, if it bothers him at night.”

“We’ll have to give that a try.” He gave her a smile. “Thanks for the tip.”

The two Hamadas picked up a few other teething toys, in case Hiro decided he was bored of the plain old rings, and a pack of new wash cloths with the specific purpose of helping with teething, and of course, they had to be orange colored.

 

“Is the house still in one piece?” Cass had greeted her nephew with those words, a tone in her voice telling him he better say ‘yes’ or there’d be hell to pay.

The college student chuckled. “Still in one piece _and_ standing.” He assured, holding back an early morning yawn.

“Good, good. And it better stay that way!” She chuckled. “How’s Hiro? You still have him, don’t you?”

“I can feel how much faith you have in me through the phone.” Tadashi pushed himself up to lean against the headboard of his bed. Sometimes he hated the fact his aunt was such an early riser – that meant whenever she was away, she’d call at awful hours of the morning to talk. “Hiro’s fine. Relatively.” He muttered. “He’s stating teething. And he let me know it.”

Cass started laughing.

“So, we ran over to Ginny’s yesterday and got a couple teething toys.” He ignored the laughter. “He’s particularly obsessed with an orange washcloth.”

His aunt was still laughing, but trying to sober herself up for a moment. “I remember when you were teething, I had to watch you one day when your mom went to a meeting. That was the day I swore I’d never have kids.”

“Wow.” He deadpanned. “Glad to be of help on such a life-changing decision. And yet, you end up with two anyway.”

“Ah, yes indeed, but, you had had a full set of teeth when I got you.” She reminded. “And technically, Hiro is yours.”

“True.” He stood up and peeked around a room divider, checking to see if Hiro was waking up or not.

The baby was sound asleep, thankfully. Tadashi hadn’t been able to get him to sleep until the early hours of the morning.

“How’s the convention?” He asked, making his way back to his bed, sitting on the foot of it.

“Very boring actually, well, the lecture portions; the networking is fun.” He could hear her disappointment at this whole trip in her words.

“Well, maybe today’s lectures will be better.” He offered.

She sighed. “Hopefully. Wolfgang Puck is supposedly here, and he’s going to speak. So I hope _that’s_ true. I could listen to that man talk all day.”

Hiro started waking up, making little coos and a small, tiny yawn that made Tadashi’s heart melt.

“Well, it sounds like you’ll have a busy day. Hiro’s waking up, so I gotta go. Have a great day, Aunt Cass.” He told her quietly, keeping his voice hushed in case Hiro was just going to fall back to sleep.

“Alright, dear, call if you need anything.” Cass told him, hearing Hiro start stirring in the background. “Poor thing. I’ll talk to you later.”

Just as he hung up and sat the phone back on his night table, Hiro let out a shrill cry. The pain the small baby must have been feeling was almost palpable to Tadashi. The college student hopped out of his bed and scurried around the room divider to Hiro’s little crib.

“I’m sorry, buddy.” He apologized as he lifted his son into his arms; the baby only quieting his cries a degree. “Let’s get you changed, then we’ll get you something to chew on.”

 

For two hours Hiro did nothing but cry and attempt to chew on anything he could fit in his mouth; and to keep him from worrying about _what_ his son was trying to put into his mouth at any given moment, Tadashi allowed Hiro to gnaw on the collar of Tadashi’s SFIT sweatshirt. And the sleeve. Not the hood drawstring. And at one point, Hiro was chewing on the opening of the pocket.

Trying to get the baby to eat was a whole other challenge. One would think that chewing on the nipple of a bottle could help alleviate teething pain, but apparently, it made for more discomfort. Anytime Tadashi would raise the bottle to Hiro’s little pain-filled mouth, the baby would swat his chubby little hand at it, or completely turn his face from it.

“’Ro, you gotta eat, bud.” Tadashi tried. He leant back against the sofa, letting himself sink into the cushions a little bit; Hiro fussing in right arm, nestled against his shoulder and chest. The young father let his left hand fall to the arm of the couch, fingers barely keeping ahold of the bottle of now lukewarm formula.

Almost intellectually, Hiro seemed to shake his head and tried to wriggle out of his father’s firm hold.

Tadashi sighed. He rested his head back against the cushions he was leaning against, but turned to look at the baby. “You haven’t eaten all day. And it’s going on four in the afternoon.” He continued, as if reasoning with the baby would make the six month old eat. He tried once more to put the bottle to Hiro’s little mouth, urging the baby to eat.

Finally, after numerous attempts, Tadashi finally got Hiro to eat. A little bit. The small baby only kept the nipple of the bottle in his mouth for two minutes, but Tadashi marked that as a victory for now.

 

Bedtime proved to be just as much of a challenge as getting him to eat was.

Tadashi gave him his nightly bath, buttoned him into clean jammies, and pulled another frozen, chamomile soaked washcloth out of the freezer, the fifth one of the day, before Tadashi curled up on his bed with Hiro against his chest.

“Gonna sleep good tonight, huh?” He quietly asked, his voice in a low, soothing tone. “You wore me out today, and I wasn’t the one crying.” _Yet_. He mentally added. He rubbed his hand gently up and down his baby’s tiny back, his son finally calming down and hopefully getting ready to sleep. He flipped through his textbook that was resting against his leg he had pulled up so he was able to see the page without straining himself. He had an essay that he had to start working on, and was going to work on it that day, but was obviously procrastinated on when something more important had his hands tied. He figured if he really read the chapter, he’d be able to catch up working on the rough draft in the morning before his aunt got back.

Tadashi started to hum a nonsensical song, just stringing low notes together before he finally thought of a song to hum to Hiro, Rock-a-Bye Baby finding it’s way out into the air.

It didn’t take Hiro as long as Tadashi thought it would have for the baby to completely fall asleep, the now damp from baby drool and melted tea cloth held tightly in his tiny fist.

Being gentle, the young father moved his textbook off his leg, and stood up, his movements slow so he had a less chance of waking Hiro up. He only stumbled over four stuffed animals on the floor on his way across the room to Hiro’s little crib, he bit his tongue so he wouldn’t let out a curse when he felt fabric under his foot – it wouldn’t be the first time he’d barely stumble but end up waking the sleeping baby. He froze after each fumble of steps, holding his breath and hoping Hiro wasn’t waking up.

When Hiro was finally tucked into his crib and the washcloth safely out of Hiro’s sleeping grasp, Tadashi returned to his side of the room ready for bed himself. He stayed up long enough to finish reading the chapter in his book and make a few notes in the margins. With a small yawn, he closed the textbook and reached up to turn off the light.

He had just started to doze off when the now-familiar sound of Hiro’s teething pain cries sounded like an alarm through the air.

Tadashi rubbed at his eyes and sat back up. It was going to be a long night.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> This chapter took me a hot minute to write – started April 28, 2017 at 4.07 am, last modified July 14, 2017 7.14 am.
> 
> Wow. So long. I’m sorry. I’ve told a few people who have messaged me that I swore I was working on this, and that their comments and messages helped motivate me (I swear, they did!), I’ve just been so busy with other people’s writings (which kinda makes me sad, but I get some money out of it, so, yay for that).
> 
> So, anyway, how have you all been?
> 
>    
>  

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Mother's Day](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12114306) by [HiroAngelLight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiroAngelLight/pseuds/HiroAngelLight)
  * [The Best Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12228009) by [HiroAngelLight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiroAngelLight/pseuds/HiroAngelLight)




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